Women of Strength Throwdown

She DJs at night. She sleeps when most people train.

Last year she had an operation. Recovery started with yoga. Then CrossFit, but lighter. Three steps back, she said. Disheartening at the start.

She came to WST anyway.

The night before the competition, she had a gig. And showed up at her 8AM call time anyway.

"I did not expect the result at all."

And then she hit a PR.

The community at Urban Edge carried her through the comeback. Tips, advice, teammates who talked her down when pre-comp stress hit.

Her rule: at least two sessions a week. That's the KPI.

"As long as you move, it's already a win."

DJ. Writer. Athlete. Val just makes it work.

Many of you may have seen Shuzhen () around. But do you really KNOW her?

She's a mom of two. She works in finance. She was a group fitness instructor for 14 years while holding down a full-time career. And now, she's a Masters athlete still stepping onto the competition floor.

Shuzhen didn't wait for life to get less busy. She found pockets of time and filled them with purpose.

Her kids don't just cheer from the sideline. They watch their mom do hard things. And that's exactly what she wants them to see.

This is her story. Not of a woman who has it all figured out, but of a woman who decided her strength was worth making space for.

Because it is. And so is yours.

"I am very much a believer of integrity. If you realise you've done a mistake, own up to it." This exchange with was refreshing and revealing of how sportsmanship builds up other athletes and the sport as well, and we are pleased to share this snippet with you.

She has been competing for years. She lifts heavy. She also stopped mid-workout at the CrossFit Open to scream for the girl next to her who just got her first ring muscle-up, all while she was still competing herself. She noticed, a year later, that another athlete she'd watched struggle with rope climbs came back and killed them, and chose to tell her how amazing she did.

She doesn't think being competitive and being supportive are opposites. She chose both, a long time ago. You can see it in every ruling she accepted.

"If you support someone, they will come back and they'll support you as well."

One of the reasons this series exists: the women we meet through WST are rarely just athletes. They're building things.

Sabrina is the founder of As-Intended. She had a 9-to-5 in public service and a would do strength-training on the side. As she went from work to workout, she noticed the fabric she trusted in the gym didn't exist anywhere in her work wardrobe. And that's how As Intended started.

As-Intended launched in 2020, right into the pandemic, which, unexpectedly, was when more women finally understood what comfort was supposed to feel like.

Six years on, the brand is her first baby. She's now expecting her second! She's kept training through the pregnancy, and she's used the last few months to systemize the business so it can run without her hovering over every decision.

Her message to other women: strength training is foundational. Not just for the body, but for everything else you're trying to build.

As-Intended creates products with technical fabric, four-way stretch, moisture-wicking, work-appropriate styles built to move with a body that changes.

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The three of them didn't really have a plan.

None of them knew how to rope climb.
Erica developed a PTSD from Ski Ergs
Christine competed the entire day with nine fingers.
Anggy was there for the fun of it.

This is what a team actually looks like. Not just shared reps... but shared EVERYTHING. The laughter. The suffering....

And yes, the potential they saw was undeniable.

Women Fitness Strength Training Women Who Lift Weightlifting Gymnastics WST2026

3 years in the making…

2024: missed the sign-up.
2025: pregnant and too sick to compete.
2026: her daughter was six months old. She signed up anyway.

Courtney () is one of the owners of Empower Fitness (.fitness.sg). She trains women to be stronger, not smaller. And when it came to showing up for herself after one of the biggest years of her life, she did exactly what she coaches others to do.

"Even if you don't feel prepared, just do it. You'll come out 100% better on the other side."

And she did!