By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Andrea Botello is new to powerlifting, but it hasn’t kept the Lopez senior from becoming the first girl from her school to advance to state in the sport.
She qualified by doing well at a regional meet March 7 at Edcouch-Elsa, and now she’s headed to this weekend’s THSWPA state meet at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi. Weigh-ins are Friday, and the competition is Saturday.
Not exactly an imposing presence from an athletic perspective at 4-foot-9 and 103 pounds, Botello is adding to her distinctions at Lopez with her powerlifting achievements in the 105-pound weight class.
“Andrea was voted ‘most beautiful’ (in the senior class) here at Lopez, and now she’s (pound for pound) the strongest,” Lopez powerlifting coach Hugo Ramirez said. “It’s an awesome combination.
“She’s just opened doors for the girls (in powerlifting) at our school,” Ramirez added. “They see that she’s not a big person at all, and if she can do it and go to state, then maybe they can do it, too. We’ve been having girls come in and want to join our program (because they see what Andrea is doing). It’s been something wonderful. She’s dedicated, and she’s everything you’d want in an athlete. She’s an awesome girl.”
When asked what attracted her to powerlifting, Botello said, “I just wanted to try something new this (school) year as a senior. It looked like something crazy (to do) and something out of my comfort zone. It really worked out well.
“For me, it was a really huge accomplishment (to go to state), especially since I was feeling a little sick,” she added. “I didn’t want to let all my hard work go away (by not advancing beyond the regional meet). Now I want to do something crazy at state and just do my best. Because it’s my first year (in powerlifting), it feels like a huge accomplishment. I’d be really happy and grateful to do well (in Corpus Christi).”
While Botello wasn’t feeling her best due to an illness at the regional meet and still qualified for state, her best showing came at the city meet in February at Lopez. That’s when she recorded a squad lift of 300 pounds, a dead lift of 225 pounds and a bench press of 105 pounds, which was not at all bad for a lifter weighing only 103 pounds.
Her totals have amazed her coaches, among others.
“(Initially) Andrea showed up here (at practice), and one of her lifts — the squat — was just spectacular,” said Matthew Barba, assistant coach for the Lopez powerlifting team and main coach for the girls. “With a 300-pound squat, she’s right now one of the top ones in Texas (in her weight division). Her numbers (with her lifts) just started jumping out at us. At the city meet, she really stood out.
“I’m just super impressed with her,” Barba added. “It’s because of lifters like her that I want to continue doing what I do (as a powerlifting coach). It’s a privilege to coach her, these other girls and all these athletes (on the team). They have so much heart. It’s really awesome.”
Botello would like to see other students at her school, especially girls, give powerlifting a try.
“I would just say for girls not to shut it down, to try it and see if they like it,” she said. “Hopefully they do and succeed like I have.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.