Kanah Andrews-Nahu, 17, is still at school - Avondale College in West Auckland - and has only been weightlifting for four years.
But she has already smashed 123 New Zealand records, and won gold in three separate divisions of the Oceania Weightlifting Champs.
Andrews-Nahu has been picked to represent New Zealand in weight-lifting at the Youth Olympics in Argentina in October.
She told Checkpoint with John Campbell her ambition is to be like her coach, Olympian and Commonwealth medallist Richie Patterson.
"I'd love to ... give back to the community and maybe coach some people later on in life, be as successful as he is."
Andrews-Nahu said her training has focused on building mental strength as well as physical strength.
