DENVER, N.C. — Jennifer Thompson knows all about winning.

The Denver, North Carolina resident is an 11-time world powerlifting champion.

“It seems surreal because if you would have asked me when I was in high school or college, I would have never thought I’d be doing this,” Thompson said.  

Thompson has claimed multiple national and international titles over the span of her 20-year career. She currently holds the title of best world bench press.

“I like getting out there and it being me against you and maybe outperform you and maybe out-think you a little bit,” she said.  

Thompson — who also teaches high school nutrition and physical education — helped stem the stigma behind women powerlifters.

“It was a time when there was not a lot of women and then all of a sudden today it's highly completive, and just to see the change from when I started to where it is now is pretty cool,” Thompson said.

Prior to the coronavirus crisis, Thompson was training for a solo competition and a second as a group with her family in the Czech Republic for the first time in history — but it was all canceled.

As the 47-year-old approaches the end of her powerlifting career, she worries she’ll miss opportunities due to the pandemic that could have helped round out her legacy.

“I’m going to keep going until I can’t win or at least be top three. When that age is, I’m hoping I’m going to be in the Guinness World Record and kicking butt when I’m 60,” she added.