The five-foot-seven athlete, who’s from Chita, Russia, briefly retired after nabbing titles like the European champion for bench press and deadlift. She also set three world records each for the deadlift and bench press.

Russian powerlifter Natalia Kuznetsova, is returning to the sport after an 18-month hiatus.

“People definitely recognize me,” Kuznetsova tells Caters News Agency. “An athletic body can be seen under clothes. Many people recognize me, ask to take a photo with them. Many people even know my name.”
Kuznetsova started body building when she was 14, weighing less than 88 pounds. Now she’s clocks in at 198 pounds and can’t wait to return to Moscow to start competing.

Russian powerlifter Natalia Kuznetsova, has been in the sport since the age of 14

 “People definitely recognize me, many people even know my name”

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Kuznetsova revealed that she got into bodybuilding early, at the age of 14, when she weighed less than 40kg. She had originally began body building in the hope to gain weight but soon found herself ‘hooked’ by the sport.
She says she now weighs 90kg and is looking forward to getting back to lifting heavy weights in the gym.

Natalia Kuznetsova, beginning the prep for her comeback in February