Dec 26, 2021 (soranews24.com) - If you were to pass by Chiyomi Sawa on the street, you might just assume she’s like any other 72-year-old grandmother. However, her short and rotund frame that could easily be confused for fat actually contains the raw muscle power of a 19-time World Bench Press Champion.
Sawa picked up her 19th Championship in a row last October when she lifted 100 kilograms (220 pounds) to win the 69-76 kilogram (152-168 pound) weight class. She is now preparing to get her 20th consecutive win, proving that it’s never too late to pick up something new, even if it weighs 100 kilos.
When Sawa was younger she was fairly active in sports, especially softball in which she developed a strong throwing arm. Even after having two kids she continued to play, but that eventually fell to the wayside when she started work as a pre-school lunch lady at the age of 27.
By the time she was nearing her 50s, the results of an annual check-up informed her that her less active lifestyle had caused her to become overweight. Around that same time the Tae Bo fad of kickboxing-style aerobics, better known as Billy’s Boot Camp in Japan, was in full swing, so she decided to try it out.
She eventually also added weight training into her routine, and one day while lifting some dumbbells a male trainer out of the blue asked her if she wanted to try to bench press. She had always assumed that was only for men and beyond her ability, but decided to give it a try anyway.
Everyone in the gym was blown away when Sawa, then an overweight 49-year-old lunch lady, benched 50 kilograms (110 pounds) on her very first try. It was clear that she had enormous potential in weightlifting, and only a few years later began competing on the world stage.
