Power and Purpose: Naga woman shines at All Assam Inter-District Powerlifting Championship

Rebecca Kits Jakhalu
Kohima | May 21

Mary Kikon made headlines at the 13th All Assam Inter District Masters Men & Women Classic Powerlifting Championship, 2024-25, winning the gold medal in the Women’s Masters 1 category and also the title of the Strongwoman of Assam, lifting a total weight of 352.5kgs. In powerlifting, in the Women’s Masters 1 category, competitors are typically aged 40 to 49 years old.

Held at Mirza, Kamrup Rural, the event was organised by the Kamrup Rural Powerlifting Association.

Hailing from Dimapur, Nagaland, Kikon moved to Assam after her marriage in 2009 and at present, she resides in Guwahati with her husband and son.

Speaking to The Morung Express, 49-year-old Kikon expressed happiness on achieving the feat. “For me, as a woman to achieve something like this at my age, I feel very happy and empowered,” she shared.

“I started powerlifting a year ago (2024) after my friends encouraged me to take up the sport. I used to go to the gym even before marriage. But after the birth of my son, my fitness journey started with Zumba and crossfit,” she shared.

At first, Kikon did not think much of her strength—she just enjoyed working out to stay healthy. But during casual gym sessions, her friends began to notice that she could effortlessly lift weights that others struggled with. Soon, they encouraged and urged her to try powerlifting. Curious and a bit skeptical, Kikon decided to try it and instantly got hooked. With each lift, she discovered a new sense of purpose and confidence. Now, she trains with focus and determination, with her next stop at the national level championship in August.
“My goal is also to participate in the open championship and win. That is the next challenge for me,” she added. In powerlifting, the “Open” championship category typically refers to a weight class with no age restrictions.

As a Naga woman representing Assam in competitions, Kikon shared that she feels proud to be representing both communities through the sport. With a strong support system, including her husband and family, Kikon said that she was able to focus on her training and preparation. “My husband is especially very proud of me,” she remarked.

She also expressed gratitude to her trainer, Dhiraj Haloi, who played a pivotal role in honing her skills, helping her develop the techniques and strategies necessary to excel in powerlifting.

Kikon shared that her journey has brought unexpected response, with young women and girls sending her messages about how she inspired them to start lifting. “This is very encouraging for me, because I want to help women to come forward, focus on their physical well-being and mental health, and even compete. If I can do it, they can, too,” she added.

Meanwhile, highlighting the absence of a powerlifting association in Nagaland, Kikon expressed her desire to help in the establishment of the same in her home state. “We have some really strong lifters in Nagaland,” she said. “Once I gain more experience by participating in national-level competitions and become more professional, I plan to return to Nagaland, connect with people, and work on creating an association. States like Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura already have powerlifting associations, even though they’re also relatively isolated. I don’t understand why Nagaland doesn’t have one yet,” she said.

Mention may be made that, while Nagaland has a vibrant powerlifting community, the state is yet to have an association affiliated to Powerlifting India and the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF). The 1st Open Powerlifting Competition in Kohima was held in 2023, organised by the Nagaland Sports and Fitness Association (NSFA).

As she trains and prepares for the national and open-level championships, Kikon hopes to support other lifters from her home state and build a platform for women in strength sports.Kikon’s journey from casual gym-goer to gold medalistand Assam’s Strongwoman goes on to show that, determination, support, and self-belief can lift far more than just weights.