The lone Lady Panther snapped her belt shut and walked towards the platform. The sound of metal on metal echoed off the gym walls as plates slammed home against each other.
"Bar's loaded!," came the cry and the lifter stepped to the bar. Straps encircled her wrists, their tightness beginning to discolor the tips of her fingers. Chalk wafted slowly from her fingers into the air around her as she adjusted her feet. Finding her footing, she reached down to grasp the bar. Once cold, the hands of dozens of other lifters had warmed it over the last five hours. The seconds ticked away as she settled her mind to the task before her. On the bar rested 260 lbs --- twice her body weight --- but that wasn't what filled her head.
"New personal record."
"It will be heavy."
"I can lift it."
The crowd noise faded. The heavy thud and rattle of plates crashing to the ground from the surrounding platforms turned into the distant rustle of leaves. The familiar sea of Panther red was absent in the stands, replaced by the golds and blues of unknown schools. None of it mattered. Determination had fixed itself in her eyes. Legs, hips, back --- all lunged together upwards. Hands squeezed; held tight. What started as an explosion from the ground now slowed to a crawl as gravity sought to reassert its dominance on the bar. Muscles trembled, back quivered, but up the weight continued. The crowd roared in its support and gravity fled, momentarily beaten. A final lean and hold.
"Down!," cried the judge. The platform shook and was still. She looked around and saw the approval of the judges and with it, Avery Applewhite (Jr.) secured her best placing of her powerlifting career, 2nd in the 132s and the Brazos Invitational.
The Lady Panthers will rejoin the Panthers on Saturday, February 17th at Rice Consolidated High School for their final invitational of the year.
Before the action, tune in to KWHI 1280 AM on Tuesday, February 6th at 5:30 PM for a live interview with several of the Burton lifters.