The Accidental Beginning of a Champion
Meet Riley Pecheos. For many high school athletes, sports are introduced at an early age through local leagues or school teams. But for Bonney Lake High School senior Riley Pecheos, the path to becoming one of Washington’s top young powerlifters was anything but conventional. With no official powerlifting program at Bonney Lake, Riley’s rise in the sport started in an unlikely place: her own home, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I got into working out during COVID as there wasn’t much to do during that time,” Riley said. “That led me to seeing videos online of people doing different lifts, and I figured it would be something worth trying. As I started working out and trying different exercises, I realized how much I enjoyed lifting weights.”
What started as a way to stay active soon became a passion. Over the years, Riley transformed from a self-taught lifter to a dominant force in Washington’s competitive powerlifting scene.
Dominating the Competition
Riley recently turned heads with a performance that cemented her as one of the top lifters in the state. At the first high school meet of the 2025 season, held at Yelm Middle School, she not only won her weight class but also earned the prestigious title of Best Female Pound-for-Pound Lifter of the competition.
In the three-event meet, Riley posted personal bests across the board:
Squat: 290 lbs (a personal record and 20 lbs over her current state record)
Bench Press: 130 lbs (a personal best by 5 lbs)
Deadlift: 325 lbs (a personal best by 35 lbs, tying the current state record in her weight class)
Total Weight Lifted: 745 lbs (45 lbs over last year’s state record)
“The powerlifting season runs from January to May, and I usually do meets once every month or two,” Riley explained. “This meet was a great start to the year, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”
Eyes Set on Nationals and State Records
While Riley has already put up historic numbers, she’s not slowing down anytime soon. The next major stops on her journey? USA Powerlifting High School Nationals in Wisconsin this March and the Washington State High School Powerlifting Meet in May.
“I have the opportunity to go back to Wisconsin this year and compete at Nationals, which is a huge honor,” Riley said. “For state, my goal is to break all the records in my weight class and be the best pound-for-pound female lifter in Washington.”
Her long-term goal is simple: win state, place in the top five at Nationals, and continue pushing the limits of what she’s capable of lifting.
A Singular Focus
Unlike many high school athletes who balance multiple sports, Riley’s dedication is solely to powerlifting. While she dabbled in volleyball back in sixth grade, lifting became her primary focus once she discovered her love for the sport.
“Since powerlifting, I haven’t really given much thought to any other sports,” she said.
Her success hasn’t gone unnoticed. Riley was recently named Washington State’s High School Athlete of the Week by SBLive Sports for the week of January 13-18. Additionally, in her first two high school meets of the season, she not only won her weight class but also earned pound-for-pound titles at both competitions.
The Road Ahead
With Nationals and the State Championship on the horizon, Riley Pecheos is poised to etch her name into Washington’s powerlifting history books. She’s already proving that dedication, grit, and self-discipline can take an athlete far—even when their high school doesn’t offer the sport they love.
For Riley, the goal is clear: lift heavier, break records, and keep proving that she belongs among the best.
Bonney Lake High School may not have a powerlifting team, but thanks to Riley, it has a champion.
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