Women athletes are proving that we belong in all sports—even the ones that are dominated by men. 

Weightlifting is no different. 

Solfrid Koanda Wins at Home

Recently, 26-year-old Solfrid Koanda snatched her 86 kg world title after lifting a total of 272 kg on day eight of the 2025 International Weightlifting Federation World Championships held in Førde, Norway, in front of more than a thousand supporters on home ground, including King Harald V. 

Koanda’s victory comes on the heels of her historic Paris 2024 gold medal win—Norway’s first-ever women’s weightlifting gold. Her meteoric rise now has her widely regarded as a national hero. “It was unbelievable to see people wearing my name on their shirt, and to perform here for such a wonderful home crowd,” Koanda said in a television interview after her competition. “Thank you to them, thank you to the King for coming, it was a great honour.”

“I knew I could trust my legs, I knew what I could do and today I felt good.”

Solfrid Koanda

Facing Injuries

Her feat was all the more impressive considering an unfortunate injury that prohibited Koanda from properly training before the World Championships.   

“It’s difficult to describe how much work went into winning these medals,” Koanda said. “I had a back injury that I kept to myself. There were periods when I couldn’t train properly, and sometimes it was hard just to bend down and do the simple things.”

“It was only in the last week that I knew I could do it. I knew I could trust my legs, I knew what I could do and today I felt good,” Koanda told the IWF. “I trusted myself and it went really well.”

Throughout her career, Koanda has participated in multiple world and European championships. A former electrician, she has won multiple other titles, including previous IWF World Championships gold medals and a handful of European Championship golds. 

Why Women Need Weightlifting

Weightlifting can seem pretty daunting to women athletes. There are risks of injury and the sport tends to be dominated by men. 

But if done correctly, there are many long-term health benefits to be gained for women who lift weights—like bone health, athletic longevity, and confidence building.

World Natural Bodybuilding Federation and Pro Figure athlete Steff Noble encourages more women to participate in weight training, particularly as a means of building confidence. 

"The confidence [that] the journey to competition and getting up on stage gives us as women is tremendous and transfers to all other areas of life," Noble told the BBC.

Strength and resistance training across the board has been shown to be beneficial for women of all ages and backgrounds, and it’s okay to start small at whatever level is right for you, whether or not you’re meant to become a professional weightlifter. Research has uncovered an interesting association between strength training and self-esteem in teen and tween girls aged 10-16 years. 

Other health benefits include a lower likelihood of chronic illnesses such as osteoporosis, diabetes and heart disease, increased metabolism for more effective calorie burning and weight control, and better blood flow and reduced inflammation. Regular strength training can also improve endurance for athletics and daily activities and improve mental wellness.

Where the Sport is Headed

More women are heading into strength training. 

In fact, a 2023 worldwide study comprising more than 37,000 women in 16 different countries found that 40% of women reported participation in regular strength training, a stark difference from earlier studies dating back to the early 2000s. At that time, just less than 10% of women engaged in regular strength training.

More women in the gym means the spaces become more comfortable and accepting for us. It also means more women athletes might be interested in competitions like Koanda.

With inspiring women like Koanda to look up to, there’s no limit to what women might achieve in weightlifting.