8-year-old girl known as ‘Mesa Mauler’ makes her mark in powerlifting, jiu-jitsu

PHOENIX – An 8-year-old Mesa girl is making a name for herself as a powerlifter and martial artist.

Arabella Costello broke state powerlifting records for squat and bench at a recent meet and is racking up medals at jiu-jitsu tournaments in Arizona and other states, picking up the nickname of “The Mesa Mauler” along the way.

Arabella, who weighs about 50 pounds, can’t decide which of the sports she likes best.

“That’s hard to choose,” she told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Wednesday.

 

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A post shared by Arabella “The Mesa Mauler ” Costello (@azjiujitsugirl)

However, she didn’t hesitate when asked what she likes best about jiu-jitsu.

“Beating up on boys,” she replied.

Mesa powerlifter and martial artist overcame difficult start

Arabella was a fighter from the start. She was born prematurely at just 27 weeks and spent 77 weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit, leaving doctors worried about how she would develop physically and mentally.

She would prove those worries to be unfounded.

Arabella got her start at the gym on a day her mother, Angela, didn’t have a babysitter.

Angela’s trainer at the 1bigimpact gym thought the girl could pass the time playing on a tablet, but Arabella had other plans.

“She just kept pestering him. ‘I want to train. I want to train. I want to lift,'” Angela said.

Arabella started with 3-pound dumbbells and didn’t stop there.

She now goes to the gym about three times a week and is careful not to overdo it, her mother said.

Arabella’s feats of strength include 83 pounds in the squat and 125 pounds in the deadlift.

“I love deadlift,” she said when asked about her favorite part of powerlifting.

Arabella’s parents document her accomplishments through the azjiujitsugirl Instagram account.

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