Eight-year-old Rayya Howard spends her time lifting more weight than most adults. The Nashville native recently stopped by The Jennifer Hudson Show, and let’s just say Jennifer Hudson’s jaw was somewhere near the floor, blown away by this young athlete.
The EGOT-winning host introduced Rayya as a record-breaking weightlifter, and the moment the cameras focused on that tiny powerhouse, viewers understood why. Rayya can already lift 158 pounds and she walked onto the stage talking about her dream of becoming both an Olympic champion and a WWE superstar as she talked to the Dream Girls actress about how she grew up in the gym.
Rayya showed off her strength on the show by doing a dead lift and the audience reaction said everything. Jennifer wasn’t just impressed; she was fascinated by the mindset behind all that muscle. The clip quickly turned into one of those “you have to see this kid” moments, and it’s easy to understand why people are suddenly Googling her name.
But television is only part of her story. Rayya’s journey started way before first grade. In a previous interview with Nashville’s WSMV, her coach Osman Manzanares explained that he has literally known her since the day she was born.
“I’ve known Rayya since the first day that she was born,” said her coach Osman Manzanares. And before baby Rayya even arrived, she was basically already in training. “Her parents had her in the gym at a young age…” And yes, there’s actual video of her mother exercising at 34 weeks pregnant.
On any given day, you’ll find Rayya at the Nashville Weightlifting Club “… cleaning, pressing and recording her progress.” She told WSMV, “I have to think about pulling hard, knees out, toes a little bit out.”
Rayya has quickly become a young name to remember. Her coach, who is an 18-time national champion and three-time world champion, has no doubt she has what it takes to make all of her dreams come true.
“I want to be the strongest person in the whole world,” said Rayya.
Her family even hopes to take her to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, not to compete yet, but to watch and visualize her future. Her mom put it simply, “… you can do whatever you want to do, and you don’t have to live your life in fear.”
Photo Credit: Rayya Howard Instagram
