Natalie Meyer, a senior at SIUC in early childhood, won the women’s powerlifting national championship held Saturday at St. Louis’ Stouffer Hotel. Her feat comes on the heels of a guest appearance at the Mr. and Ms. SIU Bodybuilding Championship by 1994 Ms. International champion Kim Chizevsky, an alumna of SIUC and former rec-center guru.

Meyer captured the title in the 97-pound junior division (21-24 year olds) after setting two SIUC records in the squat (192 lbs.) and dead lift (242 lbs.) in her weight class.

With the victory, Meyer earned the right to compete at the World Championships in England, which begin Oct. 28.

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I just competed in the collegiate nationals and did real well, so that kind of set the tone for what I did in St. Louis, Meyer said. I didn’t know I’d ever go this far. I really thought this was going to be my last meet.

A product of Resurrection High School on Chicago’s Northwest side, Meyer began powerlifting as a freshman at SIUC to remain a part of a competitive sport since her game of choice, gymnastics, was not offered at the University.

Meyer hooked up with another aspiring powerlifter in SIUC, graduate Barb Rester, during her early days of training, and Rester offered to train her in the sport.

Rester also made a contribution to SIUC’s growing list of weightlifting champs by winning Saturday’s national title in the 111-pound open competition, and will join Meyer in traveling to England this fall.

These days Rester is married and has two children, and works for a local development company as a computer graphic artist, in addition to training herself and others.

I used to be very serious into the sport, but I semi-retired when I got married and had kids, Rester said. I was just kind of playing around and went to the thing in St. Louis because it was so close, and had no idea I’d win.

Now, I guess I’ll go to the Worlds and then retire.

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Meyer, who is scheduled to graduate Saturday and begin student teaching in the fall, said Rester deserves a lot of the credit for helping get her into the sport.

Barb just kept pushing me in the right direction and it worked out for the best, Meyer said. All I do is set goals for myself and try to meet them.

However, Meyer’s desire to be the best is the thing that Rester said sets her apart from the other athletes she’s coached.

If she said she was going to do something, then she did it and followed it through, she said. Up until last fall, I don’t think Natalie realized how good she was.

Now, after last weekend, I think she’s getting a clue.

Myers and Rester will now begin a fund-raising drive so their trip to the World Championships in England can become a reality.