Auburn’s late-blooming powerlifter has loftier goals and heaver totals in mind.

A top local and regional performer, Jill Joiner-Wong is poised to push bigger weight in her first international competition – the IPF World Masters Powerlifting Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic on Sept. 28-Oct. 3.

“You can tell, I’m really excited about this chance,” said Joiner-Wong, 40, will be competing in the 67.5-kilo (148-pound) division for the United States. “I feel really good. … I’m just going to go there and do my best. That’s all you can really do.”

Originally an alternative for the world stage, Joiner-Wong got the call after finishing fourth at the 27th USAPL Women’s Nationals Powerlifting Championships in Miami. Joiner-Wong lifted 313.5 pounds in the squat, 170.5 pounds in the bench press and cleared 308 pounds in the dead lift for a 792-pound total, a personal best.

But she hopes to smash those totals in the world competition. The goals are to squat 330 pounds, bench-press between 190 and 200 pounds and pull 350 pounds from the floor in the dead lift.

She doesn’t expect to contend against the more seasoned competition, but wants to make a good impression nevertheless.

“There are two gals (Russia’s Yulia Medvedeva and Italy’s Antonietta Orsini) who are smoking hot. I can’t touch them,” Joiner-Wong said. “I’m not going to get a 1,200 (pound) total. What I can do is do my best.”

Joiner-Wong has been getting some good advice from Idaho’s Donna Marts, who has plenty of international experience.

“She basically told me to do my best, don’t concentrate on what other people will do but concentrate on what you do best,” Joiner-Wong said. “If I do my best, it could be really good. … You just never know who is going to have their best day that day.”

The 5-foot-4 1/2 and 142-pound Joiner-Wong is considered a late-comer to the sport.

Under trainer Mark Noesen, she proved to be a quick study, capturing her share of local and regional meets. She was a 2007 state champion.

Joiner-Wong trains at the Auburn Valley YMCA.

When she gets back from her trip, Joiner-Wong and Noesen will hold a fundraising dinner at 6 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Auburn Elks Club. They will share video highlights and talk about the world games. Proceeds will help defray her costs to the Czech Republic.

Joiner-Wong soon will have a Web site up and running at www.jillpowerlifts.com.