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Powerlifter Rosie Hunt is preparing to pull on the green and gold for the first time after earning selection to represent Australia at the International Powerlifting League (IPL) Masters World Championships in Las Vegas this November.
Orignally from Grenfell and now based in Queensland, Hunt has spent the past seven years building an impressive powerlifting career and will compete at her fourth consecutive Australian Powerlifting League (APL) National Championships in Melbourne this September before heading to the United States for the world championships.
Competing in the female 60kg Masters 2 division (45-49 years), Hunt has dominated at national level, claiming first place in her class at the past three APL National Championships held in Brisbane and Melbourne.
Her outstanding performances have also seen her set new Australian records year after year.
Hunt currently holds national records in the squat (127.5kg), bench press (71kg) and deadlift (177.5kg), all achieved at the APL Coastal Classic on the Sunshine Coast earlier this year.
Hunt qualified for both the national championships and the IPL Masters World Championships through strong performances at two qualifying events in 2025.
At the Mountain Top Rumble in Mt Gravatt she finished first in her class and set two new national records.
She followed that up with an impressive outing at the APL Coastal Classic in Caloundra where she placed first in her class and first overall in the Open category while setting three more national records.
Athletes qualify based on their combined lifting total across the squat, bench press and deadlift.
"I'm just keeping on improving and plodding along," Hunt said.
"My next big competition is nationals in Melbourne and then I'll head to Las Vegas. It's a bit of a dream to be able to represent Australia in powerlifting."
The opportunity to compete internationally has only recently become available through the APL's affiliation with the International Powerlifting League.
Hunt will compete at the IPL Masters World Championships on 20 November where she hopes to improve on her national deadlift record while taking on some of the world's best lifters.
Her journey into powerlifting began while working in the fitness industry as a gym instructor and personal trainer.
"It just went hand in hand with the training we were doing in the gym," she said.
Today, Hunt trains four to five days each week at PCYC Gladstone, following a highly structured program designed by her coach, Rhys Kingston, from Zerow Sunshine Coast.
Kingston will accompany Hunt to both the national championships in Melbourne and the world championships in Las Vegas, where he will also coach fellow competitor Yolanda.
Powerlifting, Hunt said, has become much more than a sport.
"It's a great sport to be part of. It requires a lot of self-motivation and focus on training, but it's very satisfying to progress and hit new personal bests along the way," she said.
"I'm very thankful for having a supportive coach and lifters around me."
Originally from Grenfell, Hunt spent the first 20 years of her life in the town before moving to Queensland for work.
Despite living interstate, she returns regularly to visit family, with her parents, siblings and many relatives still calling Grenfell home.
As she prepares for the biggest competition of her career, Hunt is also seeking community support to help cover the significant costs of competing overseas.
Unlike many junior athletes, mature-age competitors receive limited financial assistance and are generally required to fund their own travel, accommodation and competition expenses.
"It's a pretty expensive exercise and there's just not much funding available for mature-age athletes," she said.
"When you're representing Australia, it would be nice to have a little bit of extra help."
Hunt said she had been overwhelmed by the generosity already shown through her GoFundMe campaign.
"I'm grateful for the support I've received so far and I look forward to representing APL and Australia in Las Vegas," she added.
Community members wishing to support Hunt's journey to the IPL Masters World Championships can do so through her fundraising page and follow her progress on Instagram as she prepares to represent Australia on the international stage.
You can donate here: https://gofund.me/b3bc794f8