Local powerlifter captures three world records

Bristol's Libby Pacheco best in world, in only her second year of competition

By Christy Nadalin
Posted 12/11/17

And though she be but little, she is fierce.  — Shakespeare Of course, Shakespeare's words were spoken by Helena, speaking of Hermia, in A Midsummer Night's Dream. But, if they were …

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Local powerlifter captures three world records

Bristol's Libby Pacheco best in world, in only her second year of competition

Posted

And though she be but little, she is fierce.  — Shakespeare

Of course, Shakespeare's words were spoken by Helena, speaking of Hermia, in A Midsummer Night's Dream. But, if they were contemporaries, he certainly could have been speaking of 19 year-old Bristol native Libby Pacheco, who, at 5 feet and 112 pounds, is diminutive by almost any standard.

Just a few short years ago, she was so annoyed by her size — or rather others' constant commentary about her size — that she decided to get fierce.

At the time she was under 100 pounds, and, thinking they were complimenting her, people would tell her she was "skinny."

I hated that," said Pacheco. "I was strong. I've worked in barns since I was a kid, lifting bales of hay and working with horses." Beginning in 2013, Pacheco worked at Windswept Farm in Warren, where she also completed her internship before graduating from the Met School in 2016.

The comments about her physique bothered her, so she decided to get even stronger. She joined Bristol Total Fitness and started working with trainers. After first one, then another, moved out or town or switched jobs, Pacheco met her third trainer, a powerlifting coach named Michael Bove. Pacheco loved lifting, and after working with her for a few months, Bove suggested she train for a competition.
The daughter of Crystal and Robert Pacheco of Bristol, Pacheco set a national record in her age and weight class at her very first competition, deadlifting 210 pounds. In less than 2 years, she would claim 6 more national titles — and the nickname "Little Chico" — before her performance in Las Vegas.

If you are wondering how Pacheco can pack so much strength into her compact frame, it's all in the difference between the disciplines of powerlifting versus bodybuilding. "Powerlifters train for relative strength, relative to weight," said Pacheco. "Bodybuilders train for aesthetics." Power lifters do less reps, always striving for the max weight in one of three competitive disciplines, making for very dense muscle tissue.

The three disciplines are simple: squat, bench, and deadlift. In competition, a fourth category accounts for a competitor's overall total weight lifted throughout the competition. Each competitor gets three attempts at each lift.

The November 2nd event in Las Vegas was Pacheco's first International Powerlifting League World Championship, and she certainly put the competition on notice, with record-setting finishes in Junior Squat (225 lbs.), Junior Bench Press (145 lbs.) and Junior Total (677 lbs.).

For Pacheco, who was always more interested in individual, rather than team sports, powerlifting has become her passion in a very short amount of time. "It's so cool, I love the personal growth," she said. "It's all about you, and your ability to focus."

Though Bove is no longer at Bristol Total Fitness, he still trains in the area, and Pacheco returns home regularly to work with him. Currently living in Dunstable, Mass., she has been spending her time, when not training, at Crystal Farms in Dunstable, where she works and teaches riding lessons. She is planning on a new addition to her family — a horse — in the near future. And though she anticipates being competitive in the next class up, Juniors age 20-23, she's planning on getting another World Championship under her belt before her 20th birthday, next June in Chicago.

What does a world champion powerlifter, training to defend her title, eat?
"My special diet?," said Pacheco, laughing. "Anything and everything. I don't let myself go hungry."

Libby Pacheco

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