Highland senior wins second at state powerlifting meet

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Apr 16, 2026 | Sports |

RIO RANCHO, N.M.

Albuquerque Highland powerlifter Azriell Begay was five pounds shy of making the podium during last year’s state meet with a fourth-place finish.

The Highland senior left no doubt that she was going to leave with a state medal as Begay placed second in the 198-pound division on Saturday at the 2026 New Mexico Powerlifting State Championships in Rio Rancho, N.M.

“This is a big achievement,” Begay said. “I worked really hard the entire year to get my numbers up. There’s always going to be a weight that fails you at some point – you just have to try and gut it out.”

Begay lifted a total of 745 pounds in squat, bench, and deadlift, as she lost this year’s state crown to Belen’s Kendra Sims, who finished with a 770-pound total.

The Diné athlete hit a new personal record in squat with a lift of 315, which is 10 pounds more that her previous best. She then hoisted 135 in bench, and she maxed out at 300 in deadlift.

“My squat and deadlift definitely gave me a chance to place,” Begay said. “My squat is relatively higher than any of the other lifters. Usually, they can’t reach 300 in squat.

“I think if my deadlift was 30 pounds more, I could have been first but I’m so proud of how far I’ve come to get second place,” she added. “This is always a memory that I will always have.”

As a three-year lifter, Begay encouraged others to give powerlifting a try.

“Powerlifting is a great sport,” Begay said. “If you never tried it or if you never went to a meet, I would really encourage you to go. You’ll meet a lot of great people, and you’ll challenge yourself mentally.

“It’s a great sport to help you in any other sport too because you gain so much muscle and you gain so mental strength. It’s just an amazing sport. I hope everybody tries it at least once in their high school career.”

Begay, who has roots in the Gallup area, is a three-sport athlete at Highland High. Last fall, she competed on the volleyball team and for the spring she is throwing the javelin and shot put for her track team.

“I’ve already qualified for state in javelin,” said Begay, while adding that her PR is 105 feet that she hit last season.

This year, she qualified for state with 103-8.50 effort during a meet at Bernalillo High School, which surpassed the Class 4A qualifying mark of 103 feet.

“It was the first meet that I competed in, and I got qualified,” Begay said.

With her recent qualification, Begay is looking to meet the state qualifying mark of 33 feet in shot put.

“I have hit the qualification for shot in practice,” Begay said. “I just need to do it in competition.”

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