13-Year-Old Phenom Rory van Ulft Shatters Two World Records on International Debut at IWF Youth Championships

For years, Aurora "Rory" van Ulft has been a viral sensation, captivating nearly half a million followers with home videos of mind-boggling lifts that routinely exceeded official youth records. But social media fame and sanctioned international competition are two very different arenas. On Sunday, the 13-year-old dual national stepped onto the platform at the 2026 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia, to prove her strength under the sport's strictest judging standards.[1]

Competing in the women's 44-kilogram (U44KG) category, van Ulft did not just validate her online hype—she obliterated the record books. Representing Aruba, she swept all three gold medals in her division, setting two official IWF Youth World Records in the process. Her performance marked a sensational international debut, transforming a pre-teen internet prodigy into a certified world champion.[1][2]

The path to gold began with the snatch, a highly technical lift where the barbell is raised from the floor to overhead in one continuous motion. Van Ulft opened with a substantial 67-kilogram (147.7-pound) lift, immediately securing the gold medal for the discipline as her eight rivals had already finished their attempts.[1]

However, the snatch portion was not without its challenges. She increased the weight to 69 kilograms (152.1 pounds) for her second attempt but failed to complete the lift. Taking a few minutes to recover, van Ulft returned to the platform and successfully hoisted the 69 kilograms on her third attempt, establishing a commanding lead heading into the second half of the competition.[1]

The competition then shifted to the clean and jerk, a two-part lift that allows athletes to move significantly more weight. Van Ulft opened at 88 kilograms (194 pounds), a weight that easily secured her the overall world title and completed her sweep of the gold medals. But the 13-year-old had her sights set on history.[1]

For her second attempt, van Ulft called for 93 kilograms (205 pounds) to be loaded onto the barbell. This specific number was chosen with precision: it was exactly one kilogram heavier than the existing U44KG Youth World Record of 92 kilograms, set by India's Priteesmita Bhoi at the 2025 Asian Youth Games.[1][3]

The clean portion of the lift required immense effort, pulling the barbell from the floor to her shoulders. Once stabilized, van Ulft executed the jerk, driving the weight overhead with remarkable ease to claim the new Youth World Record. She attempted to push the boundary even further with a 95-kilogram attempt on her final lift, but was unsuccessful.[1]

Combining her 69-kilogram snatch and her 93-kilogram clean and jerk, van Ulft achieved a total of 162 kilograms (357.1 pounds). This shattered the U44KG Total Youth World Standard of 161 kilograms, earning her a second world record for the day.[1]

The dominance of her performance was reflected in the final standings. Her 162-kilogram total gave her a staggering 19-kilogram (41.9-pound) margin of victory over the silver medalist, Turkey's Asel Şenel, who finished with a total of 143 kilograms.

Beyond the raw weight, van Ulft's technical proficiency was highlighted by the IWF's newly approved GAMX points system, which normalizes performances across different body weights. She was the only athlete at the Cali championships to score higher than 1,300 GAMX points, underscoring her status as the standout lifter of the tournament.[3]

"That was really fun—a new experience for me and plenty of good lifting," van Ulft said following her victory. "I enjoyed the medals ceremony too. I haven't had anything like that before."

Van Ulft's journey to the top of the podium is as unconventional as her strength. Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, she originally started weightlifting at age six as a conditioning method to avoid injuries in gymnastics. She quickly discovered a natural aptitude for moving heavy iron, eventually performing a combined gymnastics and weightlifting routine on the television show Canada's Got Talent.[3]

Despite living in Canada, van Ulft competes internationally for Aruba. She holds dual Canadian-Dutch nationality through her father's heritage, making her eligible to represent the autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Two years ago, her family and the Aruban Weightlifting Federation targeted the Cali championships as the launchpad for her elite career.

The decision has already paid massive dividends for the small island nation. "I'm glad people are noticing Aruba too—not just me," van Ulft remarked. "It means a lot that Aruba is getting some recognition from this."[2]

While she hit her pre-tournament goal of a 162-kilogram total, van Ulft remains hungry for more. She noted that she missed the snatch record this time around, leaving it as a primary target for her next competition. With her international debut now a resounding success, the 13-year-old phenom has firmly established herself as one of the brightest prospects in the sport, with her eyes firmly set on future Olympic stages.[1]