Who is Britney Arendse? Four things to know about the para powerlifter from Cavan
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Arendse was born in South Africa and moved with her parents to Ireland when she was five. She lives in Mullagh, Co Cavan. She was always sporty as a child and loved to swim.
She has described her parents an inspiration, particularly her mother who was once a powerlifter as well and who won medals for the sport Her mother Brigitte told the Anglo-Celt earlier this month that she and her family are “extremely proud” of her daughter and her “amazing” achievements.
“Everyone is very excited and everyone has been so supportive to her,” she said.
“In fact the support here in Mullagh and across Cavan is epic. She has made a big impact and she is amazing.”
She was in a car accident in 2009, which caused her spinal cord injury. Nine-year-old Arendse was on life support for several weeks after the accident in June of that year. She remained in hospital for almost a year.
While in the National Rehabilitation Hospital she was encouraged to play a sport to help her recovery, opting for badminton and swimming.
At first a wheelchair basketball player, Arendse was recruited to Para Powerlifting during a wheelchair basketball match when she was 16.
Paris is Arendse’s second Paralympic Games. She first competed in Japan in 2021 and along with Jordan Lee was a flag bearer for the Irish team at the Tokyo Paralympics opening ceremony.
She finished 7th overall in the Paralympics and while competing in the 73kg category she set a new PB when she lifted 107kg.
In 2018, Arendse claimed a gold and bronze double at the World Para Powerlifting Fazaa Championships, competing in the 67kg category and lifting 87kg to win gold in the junior division and bronze in the senior category.
She also set a new Junior World Record in the 73kg category, becoming the first-ever Irish powerlifter to do so. In 2019, she broke her own Junior World Record with a 100kg lift to win gold and bronze.
In March 2021 Britney won bronze in the 67kg category with a 102kg lift at the WPP World Cup in Manchester.
- Britney Arendse will compete in the para powerlifting final (up to 79kg) on September 7.