With a loud scream and clenched fists, Ielja Strik from Cuijk celebrated her 39th national title last weekend. She is 50, but top of the world in bench pressing and power lifting. What Ielja lacks is appreciation for her special sporting achievements. “Who in the Netherlands can say in such a fast-growing sport that they have already been world champions 24 times? There are at most a few sentences in the newspaper.”
Ielja has always been hungry for titles. Since 2001, she has been in a class of her own in her own country in the field of bench press and powerlifting (a combination of a squat, bench press and deadlift). She has 39 national titles behind her name, as well as many European and 24 world titles. “I have two trophy cabinets, but there is only room for my international prizes. The other trophies are in boxes.”
At 50 years old, she continues to battle women who could have been her daughter. “It is a challenge to be the strongest in every competition. I still thoroughly enjoy it and train with great pleasure. I cannot comment on how long I will continue to do it. Maybe I will find it after my 25th world title has been good, but it may also be that I will continue if I physically succeed.”
“I prefer to put my sport first, but money has to come in.”
Due to her age, recovery after a competition takes a little longer than before. The biggest difference between the Ielja of today and a few years ago is her busy schedule. “In the early years of my career I had NOC*NSF status, which meant I received compensation. Unfortunately, that has disappeared, which means the sport costs me money. I prefer to put my sport first, but of course money has to come in .”
“I run my own gym, I also work 30 hours a week in a restaurant and I have my sport. However, I have decided from now on to focus solely on bench pressing in terms of sports. These are 80-hour working weeks and everything has to be feasible. are.”
“Why is there no media attention for my achievements?”
With 24 world titles, you would say that Ielja Strik regularly has to sign autographs on the street. “I was recognized once recently, which was nice. For me that can be every day. A lot of people don’t know me. Why is there never any media attention for my achievements or am I not nominated for Athlete of the Year? While I can tell so much about what I experience as a top athlete.”
She is confident that interest in the sport will increase in the future. “I recently saw in the media that Frans Bauer’s son has started powerlifting. That is generating attention. Furthermore, they have been trying to make it an Olympic sport for twenty years, it would be great if they succeed. To me that comes as athlete too late, but this great sport deserves it.”