“When women thrive, all of society benefits” -Kofi Annan
The term strength "athlete" is widely used - almost to the point of overuse. It's also a term that's often misused... to be fair, just becaue you train or compete, I don't think it is a term that can be used lightly, Athletisism in it's truest form, calls for a combination of physical qualities such as strength, fitness, agility and adaptability. It is fairly safe to say that Tahina Booth is a strength athlete of the highest calibre. She continues to prove herself a true dynamo across all strength disciplines by paving her way to elite levels accross the board. Tahina's got the brute strength to be record holding powerlifter but she's also explosive and dynamic, excelling at Olympic lifting and football. She's also adaptable. Recently she placed first in her debut Strongman competition which happened to be one of the heaviest this country has seen, and receiving an invite to the highly competitve Aronold Classic Australia. An invitation which she is reluctantly turning down due to her Oympic Lifting preperation for the Commonwealth Games Trials. The first qualifier is actually on the same day as the Arnolds. Strong AF problems are nice problems to have.
Tahina is of Papua New Guinean heritage, where she lived until she was 9, until her family relocated to Australia. Tahina's father encouraged her into sports as a way to meet friends when she moved. Not only did she make friends but she discovered a lifelong passion for sports including Athletics, Basketball, Tennis, Surf Boat Rowing, and Football (NRL and American Grid Iron).
Tahina maintains the link to her family and community in PNG with regular visits and has an intrinsic understanding of PNG and the sexual and domestic abuse that is a significant part of the culture there. She recognised that sport is one of the few positive pathways for young people in PNG and because the sporting clubs often lack the funding to purchase the correct equipment and clothing, Tahina has founded the Grass Skirt Weightlifting Project in efforts to address this problem.
The Barbelle Club was lucky enough to catch up with Tahina recently and talk to her about her lifting and the Grass Skirt Weightlifting Project.
Where do you train? Weightlifting: Odd Socks in North Strathfield Stronwoman: Lift Performance center in Redfern
Do you have a coach? Weightlifting: Steve Tikkanen & Peter Hardiman Strongwoman: Bradley Soper
Could you give us a bit of your personal background in relation to training and how you came to lifting? It’s a bit of a long story but a goodie haha. In December 2013 I was playing American football and sustained a shoulder injury and it ended my football journey! I was miss diagnosed by 2 different Physio's and by April 2015 I fell into a depression due to the lack of movement. I had an acute rotator cuff tear and seeked the advice of a shoulder specialist. I was informed that I had 2 options: 1. Have surgery and be out for 6-12 months or 2. Find a good rehab strength and conditioning coach. I opted for the second option due to the time and also the financial cost with going under the knife! I started a rehab program in May and my coach suggested as a goal to work towards too, I should compete in a powerlifting comp for fun in July.
I broke an Australian record for the deadlift in my first competition with a pull of 196kg in the 84kg IPF weightclass. I also qualified to compete for Australia in the Pacific International from my very first powerlifting meet. Crazy huh. I had never heard of this sport and it was the first time for me to see women lift really heavy. From there I had a dream to compete in the Olympics & Commonwealth games but was told I had to start weightlifting (as powerlifting is not an Olympic sport). I had to youtube it coz I didn’t know what the sport was and then started training fulltime from May 2015*.
"Most people like to try a sport and have fun but I like to dominate and be be the best"
Can you tell us a little bit about what drives you to try so many different sports? I love the mental and physical challenge of new sports and meeting new people. Most people like to try a sport and have fun but I like to dominate and be be the best.
How do women benefit or grow from training strength? Besides the obvious gains of muscle and aesthetically looking bad ass. The psychological side is what drives me to be better than yesterday. You don’t need to be a woman or man to feel this, we are human and all have it in us to be what we want to be. Strength training will open up a side to you that will have you facing challenges or obstacles saying, “You can” & “I got this” type of attitude. What I have learnt from lifting is it is all about attitude.
Who do you admire? I love watching weightlifting world championships and especially athletes from Oceania compete.
Do you even not lift? Nah brah ;) I am a hugh fan of abstract art and photo journalists of the Pacific. I also have a thing for boutique Gins from around the world. Every time I go through dutyfree I have to buy a different one!
"What more could a girl want? Weightlifting shoes and a platform..." Preach sister!
You're not only a badass lifter but an amazing advocate for the betterment of PNG women. Can you tell me about the Grass Skirt Weightlifting Project? The unique Grass Skirt Weightlifting Project is concept introducing weightlifting to the young women of Papua New Guinea empowering them to speak up and take a stand against sexual and domestic violence. Sport has the ability to empower and break cycles. To quote Kofi Annan, “when women thrive, all of society benefits”. The project aims to deliver much needed sporting equipment to sporting organisations in Papua New Guinea with a key message of creating more awareness of Domestic and Sexual violence programs. Many women suffer in silence and it’s important to give them access to a support network. We are in very early stages of partnering up with a NGO in PNG to provide such services.
How did it come about? I have been wanting to give back to a country that helped shape the strong individual I am today. Growing up in PNG was very different to Australia and something that I saw regulary was domestic violence against men and women and this behaviour needs to change.
My hopes are that the Grass Skirt Project will supply sporting equipment to PNG sporting Clubs with an increase of women participation through donations of sporting equipment and connections to sexual and domestic NGO outreach programs.
How can we help the Grass Skirt Weightlifting Project?
Donate sports bras or swimwear
Donate new and used gym equipment- all equipment is usable if still in working order
Donate Cricket, surfing, softball, basketball, golf, canoeing, tennis, snooker, powerlifting, weightlifting, rugby league shoes or volleyball equipment
Help collect and fundraise- hold a sporting event, barbeque, morning tea, or other activity and organize a collection bin for equipment
Become a corporate sponsor
Become an Ambassador for the Grass Skirt Project- promote and collect donations in your area. Contact them for a briefing pack and suggestions of how to get started
Be an advocate. Tell your friends, family, gym, sporting club, workmates, other clubs and charities about the project.
Share the #grassskirtproject tag in your posts on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter to spread the word.
Thank you for talking with us Tahina x
*Without Dual Citizenship Tahina is unable to compete for PNG internationally. She currently holds the number two ranking for women’s weightlifting in the 75kg plus weight category class for Australia and is aiming to compete for Australia in the Commonwealth Games in Surfers Paradise in 2018.