Mulder finished third overall at the World Powerlifting Championships in Sun City after strong performances across all three disciplines.
Gqeberha, South Africa (18 September 2026) – Chanté Mulder has already made her mark in athletics, but the 19-year-old South African is proving she can also hold her own when the bar gets heavy.
She recently claimed a bronze medal at the World Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, finishing third overall in the 69kg junior category at her third appearance at the global event.
Her strongest performance came in the bench press, where she lifted 87.5kg to finish third. She also produced a 140kg squat and a 130kg deadlift, with both efforts earning fourth-place finishes and helping her secure an overall podium spot.
Emma Aas of Norway claimed gold, while Great Britain’s Andriani Nunes took silver.
The result adds another international achievement to an already busy sporting CV.
She is also a formidable track-and-field athlete, having won the Eastern Province U23 title in both shot put and javelin. At this year’s national championships, she finished fourth in shot put and third in javelin.
Her route into powerlifting began during high school, when she wanted something different from athletics.
What initially attracted her to the sport was the opportunity to compete against herself rather than simply the person standing next to her.
“There is always another personal best to chase, even a small improvement feels like a huge achievement.”
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Powerlifting has helped build her strength, explosiveness, discipline and confidence, while athletics has taught her how to compete, manage difficult moments and keep pushing when things become uncomfortable.
There have certainly been uncomfortable moments. Mulder, who is studying law enforcement and competes for Madibaz, admitted there were nerves heading into her first international competition in the 19-23 age group.
“There were definitely nerves,” she said. “I think anyone would be nervous.”
She has nevertheless continued to add titles to her collection, including gold medals at the South African championships as well as victories at the SA Bench Press and African Asian Pacific championships.
Her place at the World Championships was secured after she swept her section at the South African powerlifting championships in Fochville in April.
“It was a huge achievement to compete at the Worlds,” she said.
And the hard work behind that achievement is something Mulder takes seriously. Training can be demanding, but finally completing a lift she has spent weeks or months chasing can make all those difficult sessions worthwhile.
“I love the challenge. Powerlifting constantly pushes me to see what I’m capable of.”
With a World Championships bronze now added to her sporting résumé, Mulder already has her eyes on what could come next.
“I would love to represent South Africa again and hopefully one day become a world champion.”
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