McCorrister enjoys powerlifting journey

When training becomes difficult for Brandon powerlifter Halle McCorrister, she zooms out from the day-to-day work and focuses on the long-term rewards.

“I think of the bigger picture,” McCorrister said.“I think in the end it will be worth it and if I can get through my training, the result will be better than what I’m feeling right now.”

It’s brought her a long way in a short time in the sport of powerlifting. The 18-year-old Brandonite will be attending the 2026 Canada Powerlifting National Championships from March 9 to 14 in St. John’s, N.L.

The first-year student at Brandon University has always been athletic but didn’t really know much about powerlifting until she talked to somebody at the gym about the sport.

“I played hockey my whole life, up until I was about 15,” McCorrister said. “Then I transitioned to volleyball for high school and club and powerlifting now.”

In the sport, athletes compete in the squat, bench press and deadlift, in that order, with the goal of posting the highest combined total.

Her favourite of the three is bench, in which she has a personal best of 174 pounds. Her best squat is 308 pounds and she has deadlifted 325 pounds.

All the hard work that went into posting those numbers is something she finds addictive.

“I think honestly it’s always pushing myself and wanting to be better, and knowing that I can be better through this sport,” McCorrister said.

This will be her first national event: she competed in her first provincials and westerns last year. It was at the latter where she proved to herself she was capable of more than she could have imagined.

“At westerns this past fall, I pulled 325, which is something I never thought I would pull,” McCorrister said. “I honestly wasn’t aware of the number I was pulling before I went out on the platform. I thought maybe 315 because that’s a big number in my head. Then we pulled 325 and that was just amazing.”

She has competed at 63 kg but it is going down to 57 for nationals, so she’ll have to drop a few pounds to qualify. McCorrister has cut weight before for competitions so she isn’t worried.

She’s also faced some of the common mental battles that can eat away at any athlete prior to a big event, but has learned to live with them.

“The past few weeks specifically, I find I really have to get my head in the right mindset to life and prepare, and tell myself that it might be hard but it’s not as hard as being upset at yourself and not doing it,” McCorrister said.

“It’s a little scary but it’s a good push,” she added. Next week, a new life experience awaits, and all those tough training sessions and worries will be tested on a national stage. McCorrister said she is a little more ready every day.

“I’m getting there,” McCorrister said. “I’m feeling the nerves right now that just turn into excitement the closer we get.”

pbergson@brandonsun.com