She’s considered one of the strongest septuagenarians around.
On July 25, 2023, powerlifter Mary Duffy shared an Instagram video of herself ending off a two-minute wall sit. The 56-kilogram athlete wrote that the she had 97.5 kilograms (215 kilos) value of weight plates on her lap while sitting against the wall within the clip. Based on the tenor of Duffy’s post and her recent tidbits on social media, this wall sit gave the impression to be her way of ringing in a recent 74th birthday. For any strength sports athlete, this is able to be quite the person fitness showcase, whatever the time.
Provided that the video captures Duffy in the ultimate seconds of her two-minute sit, it doesn’t look like the athlete struggled much performing her weighted wall sit. If anything, it gave the impression to be a superb demonstration of the balance, core, and leg strength Duffy has cultivated during her consistent training. For the athlete to do it after 74 revolutions across the sun may very well be seen as much more impressive.
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This wall sit is just not the primary time Duffy has made headlines for her gym proficiency as a septuagenarian.
In late July 2022, Duffy finished a trap bar deadlift with 113.4 kilograms (250 kilos) loaded on the bar and a further 50 kilos of chains adorned to the edges. The burden was 2.4 times Duffy’s usual powerlifting competition body weight of around 56 kilograms. Roughly a 12 months later, in late May 2023, Duffy built on that deadlift when she pulled 140.6 kilograms (310 kilos) raw with chains while utilizing a conventional barbell from a standard stance. That massive feat was nearly triple her usual competitive weight class.
Now Duffy can add an illustration of core and leg power to her ever-growing catalog of achievements within the gym.
As for Duffy’s resume with a sanctioned competitive context, the now Amateur Masters 70-74 athlete has lost only once in her eight-year string of contests. As a five-time International Powerlifting Association (IPA) Connecticut State Powerlifting champion (2015-2017, 2019, 2022), such a record is nothing to sneeze at for an athlete who began lifting in her mid-60s.
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Duffy has already established herself as a tornado of strength. It’s likely only a matter of time before she pulls off one other notable gym milestone that might be evergreen no matter age.
Featured image: @mduff2404 on Instagram