It wasn’t her best performance, but it was perhaps Jill Joiner-Wong’s finest hour on the world powerlifting stage.

The Auburn woman hoisted some impressive totals to secure a fifth-place showing at the women’s IPF World Masters Powerlifting Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic on Sept. 28-Oct. 3.

“I had an experience I will never forget. I am proud of my outcome,” said Joiner-Wong, 40, who competed in the 67.5-kilo (148-pound) division for the United States. “I was so honored and thrilled to have had such a treasured opportunity.”

Joiner-Wong lifted a personal-best 176 pounds in the bench press and cleared 314 pounds each in the squat and dead lift to amass a total of 804 pounds, another personal best.

In all, Joiner-Wong made six out of nine official lifts. Perhaps her most difficult attempt was her first – in the squat.

“I was so nerve-wracked from the amount of voices attempting to assist me in the warm-up area that I am amazed I was able to make my first squat,” she recalled. “I nearly crumbled to the floor upon unracking the first attempt of 297 pounds. This, for me, is relatively easy. I was asked to re-rack it and at that point I thought, ‘Oh no, I just missed my first squat and I didn’t even get a chance at it.’

“Because my minute to make the attempt had not expired, the head judge gave me the command to unrack,” she said. “I was so surprised and hurried, I began again. I could feel my hands chattering on the bar. I was frightened and determined to make this lift. To my relief, it was a good lift. I had met the first goal of any competitor and was in the meet. Not entirely calm at any point, but at least moving forward.”

Japan’s Mayumi Kitamura took the women’s title, earning the meet’s “best lifter” award for all weight classes in the masters (age 40-49) division. Kitamura squatted 435 pounds, benched 348 pounds and deadlifted 418 pounds for a 1,200-pound total.

Russia’s Tatiana Zubkova was second (1,017 pounds) and Holland’s Carmen Sjardijn was third (902). Joiner-Wong’s teammate, Idaho’s Donna Marts, was fourth (869 pounds).

It was Joiner-Wong’s first taste of international competition.

“More importantly than placement was the experience,” she said. “I met some individuals whom I will keep in touch with and share training ideas and who are willing to help me improve my craft. There is so much to learn. In this sport, like anything competitive, we must always be open to new techniques and training ideas.”

A late-comer to the sport, the 5-foot-4 1/2, 142-pound Joiner-Wong has been a quick study under trainer Mark Noesen.

Joiner-Wong captured local and regional meets and was a 2007 state champion. She qualified for the world meet after finishing fourth at the 27th USAPL Women’s Nationals Powerlifting Championships in Miami.

Joiner-Wong, a wife and mother of two children, plans to compete nationally and internationally next year. She trains regularly at the Auburn Valley YMCA.

“It’s amazing that your love for weightlifting has taken you to places you couldn’t have imagined,” she said.

Note: Join Jill Joiner-Wong and Mark Noesen at a fundraising spaghetti dinner at the Auburn Elks Lodge, 2402 Auburn Way N., at 6 p.m. Oct. 23. Proceeds will help defray Joiner-Wong’s travel costs to the Czech Republic. For details, please visit jillpowerlifts.com.