10 questions is a blog series hosted by North Shore Barbell aimed at giving exposure to some of New Zealand's top powerlifters & coaches.
Evie is New Zealand's top female Powerlifter, has held numerous New Zealand, Commonwealth and World records across the 52 and 57kg classes and has also achieved podium positions at the 2018 and 2019 world championships. Evie was going to compete at the 1st SBD Sheffield Championships, the IPFs most prestigious, competition with a £250,000 prize pool but a few days before flying out to England, it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Best lifts in competition:
160.5kg Squat / 91.5kg Bench / 185kg Deadlift | 430.5kg Total at 56.6kg
143.5kg Squat / 86.5kg Bench / 165kg Deadlift | 395kg Total at 51.6kg
Tell us a bit about yourself
I am Evie Sinead Corrigan. Freshly 24 years old (24 + 2 days). I was born in London but grew up in Christchurch from the age of 7. Second oldest of 5 kids in a big, extended English/Irish family. I am currently studying full time towards a Postgraduate Diploma in International Development but I also nanny 2 kids part-time.
How did you start lifting weights, at what age and why?
I attended 2016 Canterbury Provincials on my 20th birthday, helping out my sister Ciara who was coaching at the competition. I saw what some of the women there were lifting and Ciara convinced me that I should also give it a go. Before that I'd done little more than a BodyPump class at LesMills (which I didn't like) and some sessions Ciara had coerced me into doing while we travelling together (I was understandably more interested in museums and pub crawls). Ciara wrote me a programme and started coaching me from then up until my first Nationals in 2017.
What drew you to Powerlifting specifically?
It looked badass. I liked the idea of being powerful which as a young small female I hadn't often felt. I'd always had pretty good upper body strength so I took to benching right away. I liked the challenge of continually trying to lift a little more.
Who or what are your biggest influences when it comes to lifting and anything related to it?
I think first and foremost each of my coaches: Ciara Corrigan, John Strachan, and now Alfred Jong, who have taught me everything. I didn't know a bar was a bar when I first walked into the gym, I've come a long way. So many people at GetStrength gym and the wider Auckland powerlifting have helped to grow my knowledge and to challenge my views on powerlifting. And I have to give a shoutout to Eric Helms and the Iron Culture podcast, because both have really helped me to develop a more sustainable mindset, understand myself as a lifter, and begin to move past some mental roadblocks.
What’s your best lifting memory or moment?
It's gotta be winning Worlds in 2018. Going in nominated 6th, John might have believed I could win but I was just hoping to medal in something. And it was such a shock to me when my competitor failed her final deadlift and John turned to me and said "you won". Standing on the podium was unreal, as they played the wrong national anthem, and seeing all of team NZ next to the stage yelling "its the wrong one!". I remember waking up the next day and seeing the medals on the bedside table and thinking "shit that actually happened".
What has been your biggest lifting fail?
Nationals 2018. Not because of my performance, but because I beat myself up so much over not hitting what I wanted (400kg total, 500 wilks) despite PB'ing all my lifts (I got 395kg and 495 wilks btw). I put so much pressure on myself that day that I didn't really enjoy competing at all, too busy stressing out. I've struggled with this a bit since then and I'm still learning.
What’s the best gym you’ve ever been to and/or trained at?
It's gotta be GETSTRENGTH. Honourable mention to NorthShore Barbell and Unbreakable Training Centre, also great places to train.
What are your top 3 songs to lift to?
Honestly I mostly listen to whatever is playing at the gym, usually DnB, some emo shit, or hard rock. If I'm alone I'm likely listening to Lady Gaga. She's versatile, OKAY.
What is your “guilty pleasure” exercise?
This is presuming I know how to do anything other than squat, bench, or deadlift, which I don't, very much a three trick pony. I do like to do conventional deadlifts every now and then even though I pull sumo, feels goooood. Or I'll dabble in some strongman, stones especially I like.
Kiss, marry, kill - Squat, Bench & Deadlift and why?
This feels wrong, I feel like they're all my children and I have to at least pretend to love them equally, but what the hell. Probably kill squat because it feels like it's killing me every time I do them, kiss deadlift because I appreciate all it does for my total and for IG clout, and marry bench because bench is loyal and I could see myself sticking with it through thick and thin.
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