The strongest nine-year-old in the world: How a Canadian girl is breaking records and misconceptions about weightlifting and kids

She may be the shortest participant, but there’s no missing Aurora (Rory) van Ulft at a weightlifting competition. Her dad, Cavan van Ulft, manages that. Noad and van Ulft didn’t set out to create a weightlifting prodigy. For now, Canada’s youngest lifters are crossing the border to compete in the American championships run by USA Weightlifting. “She loves gymnastics; she’s good at weightlifting,” van Ulft says.