BELLEVUE — If you have watched NBC 26, you would know about a few members of the powerlifting community over at Crossfit 920 in Bellevue.
We introduced you to Lauryn Cudworth who overcame an eating disorder and earned her pro-card at the Arnold Sports Festival back in March. Just recently we talked to Taylor Gunville who was a 13 year old (now 14) powerlifting champion and Crossfit 920 is owned by her father Matt.
Those three all took home top honors at the Mega Nationals out in Las Vegas last week and so did a few others who train at the gym.
“We put a lot of work in," said Matt Gunville, who also trains the powerlifters and competes as well. "It paid off. I’m super proud of the team. We had six lifters compete at nationals and all six made the podium, so we had 6 podium finishers, four of them were national champions, one took fifth and one took second. Super proud of them.”
Last year, Taylor Gunville and her dad Matt both took home second place, this year, Matt won the gold in his age group for the bench press and Taylor took home the top prize for the third time in four years.
“This year, her last year in the youth competition and it went right down to the wire," Matt Gunville said. "She had to pull big in the deadlift to win and I let her know and she knew what she had to do. She went out there, she did it and it was just a perfect moment for both of us.”
For Lauryn, her group came down to the wire as well. She was sitting in second place with one deadlift to go, but while there she faced a dilemma: Was she satisfied just winning or did she want to etch her name in history.
“It was less than I pulled at Arnold, but that’s all I needed to win," Cudworth said. "I had to make the decision, do I want to pull for gold, or do I want to pull for gold and also pull for the American record, but if I miss it, it would bump me off the podium, so I pulled for gold.”
Cudworth has now reached the highest level she can go, but she’s not satisfied.
“Continue chasing the big records that I have my eyes set on," she said. "Continue to place at national meets. I don’t know what the future looks like for USA Powerlifting, but I want to continue to be at the top. I have an itch now, I have a hunger, I want to keep going.”
The powerlifters at Crossfit 920 have put lot of work in, but they likely wouldn’t be where they are without Matt Gunville’s coaching. He’s been around the sport for about 26 years.
“His lifting advice, I mean, he’s been doing this so long — he knows what he’s doing, clearly," Cudworth said of Gunville. "Four national champions in an entire weekend. Absolutely crazy. He’s the best coach and I’m lucky to have him so locally.”
“When you get out there with them and you see them have their success – cause that’s what it’s really about. That’s what makes me want to coach, seeing people succeed. Seeing the smile on their face is all worth it,” he said.
