Cosner placed second in her category (84kg+) and second overall in the Women’s M2 class (comprising lifters aged 50-59).
She also won a bronze medal for squat (155kg), a bronze for bench press (97.5kg) and a silver for deadlift (202.5kg) - all personal bests.
Despite all this success, however, Cosner said the best aspect of her achievements was the impact they were having on her kids, who ranged from 9 to 27 years old.
“Honestly, the absolute best thing about my lifting is how proud of me my children are,” she said.
“I wanted to show them that they can do anything they put their mind to.”
Originally from South Dakota’s Rosebud Sioux Reservation - and great-great-granddaughter of Chief Hollow Horn Bear - Cosner has called the Far North home for 15 years.
“I had not seen the ocean until I was 19, but have not lived far from it since.”
Cosner described her youth as a time filled with outdoor sport, and even a bit of lifting.
Motherhood and her career as a veterinary nurse - and now practice manager - followed by a hip injury, seemed to cement that active lifestyle as a thing of the past.
“I think as a mother, you tend to feel like you have to do it all. And you tend to lose a bit of yourself with the day-to-day needs of everybody else,” Cosner said.
“I was feeling very unfit and unhappy with my life. I felt I needed more, and I wanted my children to see me happy and living life.”
In addition to the expected challenges of being a working parent, Cosner has two sons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
She said the biggest struggle was the school system, and a lack of resources in the Far North.
“When we first came here, there was very little understanding. Just a ‘naughty’ kid, is how my eldest son was labeled,” Cosner said.
“There are some really great teachers and people at the Ministry of Education here in Kaitaia that are exceptional, but it’s the resources and specialists that are lacking,” she said.
“I will also say there are teachers dealing with these kids that really shouldn’t be. Fortunately, they are the minority.”
Her younger son with ASD suffers severe anxiety, which led her to remove him from school and educate him at home via correspondence.
Three years after undergoing a total hip replacement, she made a life-altering change.
She credits powerlifting as a healthy source of relief from the stress of advocating for her sons, in addition to a mother’s usual workload.
“Powerlifting helped to take the edge off. It gave me a way to release my frustrations.”
Cosner’s road to gold began when she enlisted a friend and workmate to join her at the gym, having felt too intimidated to go alone.
Co-owner of Club Physical, Stan Day, was the one who mentioned powerlifting, and her interest was piqued.
“He helped me prep for my first novice competition here in Kaitaia, where I failed all of my squat attempts due to depth,” Cosner explained.
“But the Kaitaia Powerlifting community was so amazing. They’re the most supportive people I’ve ever met. And I had so much fun. I was hooked.
“Stan has supported me so many times. I’m very grateful to him.”
Day said although powerlifting was becoming more common thanks to changes to uniform requirements making it more affordable and accessible, it was not quite mainstream yet.
“It’s a very individual sport, but has definitely grown recently,” Day said.
“You see how many competitive lifters there really are at the competitions when they all come out of the woodwork.”
Reflecting back to when Cosner first came in the gym’s door, Day said she’d come a long way.
“It’s quite an amazing transformation, really. She’s done all the hard yards, and she’s always consistent.”
And while more women were lifting, for a variety of reasons, Day said Cosner was in a league of her own.
“She’s leading the way, for sure. Some of the numbers she’s putting up are pretty impressive - even a bit intimidating to some of the men.”
Powerlifting is a strength sport consisting of three lifts: squats, bench press, and deadlifts, in which the athlete attempts maximal weight for a single lift.
Just seven months after she began lifting, Cosner competed at regional, North Island and national competitions.
“There was no going back.”
Aimee Christensen, South Island vice president of the New Zealand Powerlifting Federation, said not many women could deadlift over 200 kilograms.
Christensen said Cosner’s recent performance at the (IPF) Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships 2022 was therefore seriously impressive.
“This is pretty extraordinary,” she said.
“In New Zealand, powerlifting is pretty evenly split between men and women, in categories of all ages.
“But we’re definitely seeing a rise in female powerlifters, and especially very, very strong women who could be lifting more than men in the same weight class.”
She added that Cosner’s example was a refreshing one for women of all ages, but especially younger women.
“For a woman to be able to go into the gym and work on something that isn’t about her appearance - and instead about what her body can do - that’s a great example for the younger generation,” Christensen said.
“The days of only seeing men in the weights room are gone. And it’s awesome.”
In October, Cosner was one of five powerlifters to represent New Zealand at the World Masters Powerlifting Championships in Canada, where she won bronze, silver and gold medals, placing second overall and breaking nine Oceania records.
“Powerlifting is something I do for me. It keeps me fit and it helps me deal with day-to-day frustrations,” Cosner said.
“When I was at my unhappiest, my self-talk was pretty bad. I would berate myself for anything and everything I didn’t like about myself. I didn’t want my kids to see me like that.
“When I began lifting, I began feeling better about myself. My self-image was gradually improving and my self-confidence was building.
“As my body got stronger, so did my mental health. It’s always going to be a work in progress, but now the groundwork has been laid I can build on that.”
Although Cosner said she didn’t enjoy getting up at 4.30am, she did so because it felt better than sleeping more and missing out on training.
Cosner advised everyone, at any stage of life, to make time for themselves to follow their passion.
“I tell people now that they have to do something in their life for them. You can’t keep doing for others without helping yourself first,” Cosner said.
“I hear a lot of people say that they just don’t have time, but if it’s important, you will make time.”
As for the rise in powerlifting among women, Cosner said she was impressed with the number of female powerlifters these days.
“When I started, I wanted to watch women and see what they could do,” she said.
“I have my favourite male lifters, but it’s the women that blow me away. They are the ones I idolise.
“They are far from the weaker sex. It’s ridiculous we’ve been portrayed that way throughout history.
“There are some seriously strong women out there, and they’re proof that life does not end in your 40s.
“Whatever your sport or interest, there are always women out there defying the odds, following their passion and killing it at every stage of life.”
