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LUTCHER — Four rising seniors on the Lutcher Girls’ Powerlifting team have been invited to compete internationally in championship events hosted at the Cayman Islands and Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Daige Love, Mikayla Forsythe and Jayla Johnson will join Team USA for the Sub-Jr. World Championships in Romania, while Malaya Mitchell will be part of the North American Championships Team at the Cayman Islands. All four girls are state champions and exceptionally hard workers who have already found success at national level competitions.

Johnson started powerlifting the summer before her sophomore year and has been a member of the team for three years. She’s earned a regional and state spot for two of the three years she’s been on the team and currently holds all of the 105-pound weight class Bayou Regional records, which includes squat, bench, deadlift and total. She also holds the Division II state record for squats at 300 pounds and total at 720 pounds, in addition to last year’s Division III state record for squat at 275 pounds. This year, she was awarded Outstanding Lightweight Lifter for Division II at both the state and regional level. Her personal bests also include 135 pounds for bench and 300 pounds for deadlift. Placing first in the nation earned her an invitation to the Sub-Jr World Championships in Romania taking place August 24-26.

Forsythe has been a member of the powerlifting team for six years. She is a three-time Bayou Regional Champion, and she also holds several regional records. On the state level, she is a two-time champion in her respective weight classes and a three-time state team champion. She currently holds the Division II bench press Louisiana state record for the 220-pound weight class, and she also placed first in the Powerlifting America High School National Competition. She is a national recipient of the award for Best Lifter – Female Varsity Equipped, a recognition that earned her an invite to compete on Team USA in the Sub Jr. World Championships in Romania. Her records include 405 pounds for squat, 264 pounds for bench and 420 pounds for deadlift.

“It has always been a dream of mine since I started powerlifting to compete at Worlds and I am so honored to be able to represent my hometown of Paulina, for the great state of Louisiana and all of the United States of America!” Forsythe said.

Mitchell first joined Lutcher’s powerlifting team as a freshman and has competed on the varsity regional and state teams for the past three years. During her sophomore year, she was Regional Runner-Up, and she has since become Regional Champion and a two-time State Champion in her weight class. During the 2021-22 season, she was awarded Outstanding Heavyweight Lifter at the state meet. She has also competed at the Equipped National Powerlifting Meet in Arizona, where she placed second in her weight class and earned an invitation to the North American Championships Team in the Cayman Islands on August 11. Her heaviest weights, so far, have been 340 pounds for squat, 205 pounds for bench and 345 pounds for deadlift.

“I am so excited to compete in the Caymen Islands, and I appreciate any and all help or support in getting me there,” Mitchell said.

Love is another member of the Lutcher Girls Powerlifting State Champion Team. She’s been part of the team for three years, earning regional and state spots for two years. This year, she was awarded Outstanding Heavyweight Lifter for Division II in both the state and regional competitions and additionally achieved a ranking on the All-Time Top 50 Females for Louisiana High School Powerlifting. Her heaviest lifts are 505 pounds for squat, 264 pounds for bench, and 415 pounds for deadlift. Love was invited to compete on Team USA in Romania this August after placing first in her weight class at the Equipped National Powerlifting Meet in Arizona.

More information about the international competitors, upcoming events, and fundraisers can be found on the Lutcher High School Girls Powerlifting Facebook page.