She put the “her” in “Hercules.”
Nine-year-old Indian weightlifter Arshia Goswami proved that powerful things can come in small packages after she deadlifted a back-breaking 165 pounds, as seen in an Instagram video with 48 million views.
“The youngest and strongest Indian,” the tiny but mighty youngster wrote in the caption to the impressive clip.
At not even age 10, the Panchkula-based weightlifter has captivated the world with her many incredible feats of strength, which she frequently posts to her more than 735,000 followers on Instagram.
Goswami frequently shares her feats of strength with her over 735,000 followers on Instagram. Instagram / @fit_arshia
Goswami got into weightlifting during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Instagram / @fit_arshia
For her latest age-defying stunt, the tiny titan decided to deadlift 165 pounds — three times her weight of 55 pounds. Her prior personal best was 132 pounds, which she accomplished at just 8 years old, setting an Asian record.
The nail-biting clip shows Goswami sporting a lift belt as she prepares to hoist a barbell laden with multi-colored weights that tip the scale.
The pint-sized powerlifter grunts and then lifts the massive payload to her waist before dropping it back down with a thunderous thud and swaggering off the mat in triumph.
Instagram commenters were astonished over Goswami’s Herculean effort, which seemed to belie her size like an ant lifting a comparatively colossal object.
Goswami’s deadlift totaled three times her body weight. Instagram / @fit_arshia
“Wow. Took me years to even attempt that weight in my teens. Mad respect,” exclaimed one viewer regarding her flex-ploit.
Another wrote, “Easily 25 kgs [55 pounds] more than my PR. And I’m 42. This is unbelievably impressive!”
“I would like to see all the tough guys in the comments deadlift 3 times their weight,” challenged another in response to comment section haters dismissing her achievement.
Goswami is raising the bar-bell when it comes to youth weightlifting. Instagram / @fit_arshia
Goswami’s powerlifting pilgrimage began in 2021 when she set the record for the nation’s youngest deadlifter by hoisting nearly 100 pounds, as determined by the India Book of Records.
Since then, she has taken the weightlifting world by storm, winning multiple competitions and even getting sponsored by MuscleBlaze and Jerai Fitness — two of India’s popular fitness brands.
“I don’t know how she does it. Is it genetic or maybe she’s got some rare gift?” her proud father Avnish Goswami told Sportstar.
He hopes one day his pride and joy will compete in the Olympics.
Goswami’s powerlifting pilgrimage began in 2021 when the then 6-year-old set the record for the nation’s youngest deadlifter with a lift of nearly 100 pounds. Instagram / @fit_arshia
While certainly impressive, Arshia is not the only super-strong youngster on the global scene.
In 2022, 9-year-old Canadian girl Aurora van Ulft, most commonly known as Rory van Ulft, managed to deadlift 244 pounds, which accounts for more than three times her body weight.
