On August 22, 2022, powerlifter Ashley Contorno (75KG) shared an Instagram clip of herself completing a 237.2-kilogram (523-pound) mat pull during a training session. In the caption of her post, Contorno asserted that the feat of strength is a new personal record (PR) for her “worst deadlift variation.”
For a new PR, the lift didn’t seem difficult for Contorno, who pulled the loaded barbell off two thin mats with relative ease and erupted with joy when her lockout was successful. The athlete wore a lifting belt and used a mixed grip to help her notch the new deadlift PR.
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According to Open Powerlifting, Contorno’s all-time competition best raw deadlift is 237.5 kilograms (523.6-pound). She achieved that pull at the 2021 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) The Bucked Up Showdown. Contorno’s recent Instagram caption asserted confidence in a 540-pound deadlift the next time she’s on a platform.
After winning the 2022 WRPF Ghost Clash in the 75-kilogram division in February, recent months have seen Contorno stay busy with her overall training instead of formal competition. The athlete usually shares updates on her progress with similar clips of accomplishments in the gym. For example, Contorno captured a new raw back squat PR of 233.6 kilograms (515 pounds) in mid-August 2022. A few days before her back squat PR, Contorno completed a 137.4-kilogram (303-pound) squat with an additional 80 pounds of chains attached to the barbell.
The 33-year-old Contorno isn’t new to the competitive powerlifting scene, having been involved in some capacity since January 2016. To date, she has participated in 15 contests, placing on the podium 11 times while winning on eight occasions.
Here’s an overview of some of Contorno’s more notable results:
Ashley Contorno | Notable Career Results
- 2016 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Arizona State Powerlifting Championships (Raw) — First place | First career victory
- 2017 USPA Drug Tested California State Powerlifting Championships (Raw) — Second place
- 2019 Southern Powerlifting Federation (SPF) Super Training Classic — First place (Unlimited); Second place (Raw)
- 2019 USPA San Diego Fit Expo (Raw) — First place
- 2020 USPA Rise of the Valkyrie (Raw) — First place
- 2021 WRPF The Bucked Up Showdown (Raw) — Second place
- 2022 WRPF The Ghost Clash (Raw) — First place
Note: Contorno has competed raw in all but three instances throughout her career.
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Contorno’s Plans
At the time of this article’s publication, Contorno has not announced when she’ll appear on a sanctioned lifting platform again. Even if the athlete isn’t competing for the time being, she seems to be staying busy with her small business, the South Bay Strength Company — a powerlifting gym she co-owns with her husband Steven in Harbor City, CA. The 2022 WRPF South Bay Strength Company Boo Bash will be held at their gym on October 29, 2022.
In addition, per her LinkedIn profile, Contorno is a certified medical professional specializing in physical therapy. With that sort of health and strength background, it might only be a matter of time before Contorno starts making some of her recent training PRs official.
Featured image: @veggie_lifter on Instagram