Vegans Thriving. Elite Vegan Athletes
A vegan diet contains all the protein and other nutrients needed to build muscle and strength, as numerous internationally recognised and national record holding strong vegans have proved. Some of the strongest powerlifters are vegans and more are showing an interest in plant-based nutrition.
Nick Squires is an accomplished powerlifter who competes in the raw divisions in California, USA and internationally.
He’s taken overall first in the LA Open, and Conejo Valley Open and category first in the RAF Open. In 2018 he was placed 2nd in the Drug Tested California State Championships before going one better and winning it in 2019. Read More... “Nick Squires, vegan powerlifter”
Coming to powerlifting relatively late in life has not stopped Glenda Presutti from taking the sport by storm and rapidly emerging as a force recognised nationally and beyond.
It’s not been easy, the 62 year old (in 2018) registered nurse has overcome numerous injuries. Read More... “Glenda Presutti, vegan powerlifter”
Anastasia Zinchenko has been competing in powerlifting for several years, recording some high profile placings and impressive totals. She’s competed in the 63kg and 72 kg weight classes, and taken regional UK titles, national placings – and competed internationally.
In 2014 she won the BDFPA All Midlands Championships 72 kg weight class and took second in the 2014 British Universities Powerlifting Championship 63 kg class. Read More... “Anastasia Zinchenko, vegan powerlifter and bodybuilder”
Ramona is a masters weightlifter, competing nationally in America. Competing in the 63 kg category, she has also competed in powerlifting, although has had more success with Olympic lifting.
Her only powerlifting meet was in 2015 and her 221 kg (488 lb) total gave her victory in the Masters division. Read More... “Ramona Cadogan, vegan weightlifter”
Nigel is a powerlifter whose enthusiasm for his sport has led him to train others as well as compete. His training has brought him national success with some amazing lifts.
In 2017 he competed in the Canadian Nationals where the 126 kg lifter squatted an enormous 300 kg, benched 195 kg and finished off with a deadlift of 290 kg. Read More... “Nigel Morton, vegan powerlifter”
Yolanda Presswood is a powerlifter who has achieved great things very quickly.
Originally competitive in the bikini and fitness categories of bodybuilding, Yolanda started competing in Crossfit in November 2014 and then moved to powerlifting in October 2016, with her first competition in December of that year. Read More... “Yolanda Presswood, vegan powerlifter”
Julia is a powerlifter from New Zealand who has been recognized with some amazing lifts.
She holds the national records in all three lifts in the sub 52 kg category. Competing at the IPL Drug-Tested World Championships in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S.A.) Read More... “Julia Trezise-Conroy, vegan powerlifter”
Alison Crowdus is a powerlifter based in Northern Kentucky, USA who has qualified for the XPC Finals at the Arnold Sports Festival. In March 2017 she made her debut there, read more about it here.
This follows many years of sport including 13 years of cheerleading, throwing shot put and discus in high school, lifting recreationally and then powerlifting. Read More... “Alison Crowdus, vegan powerlifter”
In a nation known for its powerlifting and strength sports it can be hard to stand out, although Hulda B. Waage has done this. The Icelandic powerlifter has established herself as a leading powerlifter who competed in both raw and equipped powerlifting, holding several national records. Read More... “Hulda B Waage, vegan powerlifter”
Success in powerlifting has given Melody Schoenfeld’s records at State and National level, and the petite American has shown enormous strength in kettlebell, old time strongman challenges and unusual challenges such as bar bending.
She has broken California state records for all three lifts (bench press, squat and deadlift), and in 2015 was awarded the USPA National record for bench, deadlift and total in the women’s 40-44 age category. Read More... “Melody Schoenfeld, vegan powerlifter”
Bill McCarthy is an American powerlifter. He competes at national level and has qualified for international competition including the Arnold Sports festival three times. He’s 120kg in weight and his personal best lifts are 501 lb (227.5kg) bench press, 750 lbs (340kg) squat and 622 lb (282.5kg) Read More... “Bill McCarthy, vegan powerlifter”
Patrik was born in Iran and lives in Germany. In 1999 aged 20 he won the German Junior Bodybuilding title.
He broke the world log lift record for under 105kg, with a 165kg lift, as well as the German heavyweight log lift record . Read More... “Patrik Baboumian, vegan strongman”
Australian Joel Kirkilis is a vegan bodybuilder who became the Victoria (Aus) bodybuilding champion in 2009. In 2010 he entered the INBA Melbourne Open and the Victoria Class 2 competition, and finished second in each.
He has since been working on technique and coaching other athletes. Read More... “Joel Kirkilis, vegan bodybuilder and powerlifter”
Rob took up arm-wrestling in 2000. It was after a tournament in 2002 that he first starting feeling uncomfortable about eating meat and moving towards a vegan diet. Like many people, Rob had been led to believe that meat was an important part of building strength. Read More... “Rob Bigwood, vegan armwrestler”
Pat was diagnosed with a serious genetic cancer in 1977 when she was 32, which led to her adopting a wholefood vegan diet. As a result her health has made an excellent recovery and the ‘terminal’ cancer has gone into remission while but continues to live a full and incredible life. Read More... “Pat Reeves, vegan powerlifter”
Joni turned vegan in 1991, and started training for and competing in strongman events around 2000 in the 105kg weight category. Since then he has developed an impressive level of strength, with personal bests of 150kg for bench press, 230kg for squat and a deadlift of 262.5kg. Read More... “Joni Purmonen, vegan strongman”