Campbell River’s Kaiya MacNeill-Payeur has been competing in powerlifting for less than a year. But that’s been more than enough time to earn the local gym owner a berth in the Canadian Powerlifting Union’s National Championships next month in Newfoundland.
The owner of the Crossfit O’Twelve gym, who competes as Kaiya McPay, swept the squat, the bench press and the deadlift in last month’s Winter Open Powerlifting competition to claim the gold medal and earn a berth in the April 6-11 nationals in St. John’s.
“I am so honoured to be able to bring something to Campbell River that not only helps RCMP, football players, powerlifters, wrestlers and hockey players, but can also benefit a stay-at-home mom or someone who is just looking to improve their general health,” said McPay.
She has trained at both her own gym and at Titanium Crossfit in Courtenay, under coach Marc Mazzocchi, since opening Crossfit O’Twelve in 2012. More recently, she began focussing on powerlifting and Olympic lifting and entered her first competition last spring.
At the Richmond competition, which drew 79 lifters from across B.C., McPay matched the top squat in the women’s open/84 kg class with a lift of 120 kg. She followed with a 90-kg bench press and a 155-kg deadlift, both best in the class, to clinch her gold with a total weight of 365 kg.
It is her second straight gold medal, following her win in the 2014 BC Powerlifters’ Association Fall Classic in Abbotsford, and improves on her overall weight total of 325 from that competition.
In all, she has won four powerlifting gold medals, including in her debut at the 2014 Spring Open in Langley, in the 84+ weight class.
Since winning at Richmond, McPay has been back in her Willow Point gym to resume training while also raising funds for her nationals trip.
To support McPay’s efforts, you may contact her at Crossfit O’Twelve or via her Facebook page: Kaiya McPay - Powerlifter.