One For The Books: St. Clair Shores' Molly Likins Sets Powerlifting Record

ST. CLAIR SHORES, MI — If you were looking up the definition of the word “competitor,” chances are you’d see a picture of Molly Likins next to it. Whether it’s swimming in the fall, powerlifting in the winter or softball in the spring, the St. Clair Shores High School junior pretty much does it all.

And while plenty of teenagers play sports year around, not many do it as well as the 16-year-old, who happens to be deaf. Molly had moderate hearing loss at birth, but by age 3 was totally deaf. Her parents went to bat for her, however, and eventually convinced insurance companies to pay for cochlear implants.

“I’m very grateful that I have it,” she told the Detroit Free Press in a recent interview. “I can live in a normal world with normal hearing. I’m happy that I have the cochlear implants. It’s a great thing to have and I would encourage others if they’re hard of hearing or have hearing loss I would encourage others to have it as well.”

Likins’ athletic success is inspirational. She recently set a record at the Michigan High School Power Lifting Association championship by bench pressing 190 pounds. Molly said on Twitter that the lift was a state record by some 15 pounds.

“I tried 200, but I couldn’t lock it,’’ Molly told the Detroit Free Press. “I could get it off my chest, but I couldn’t press and explode like my dad (Bret) said. I guess I did what I could. I had to get it up at least one time.”

And powerlifting might not even her best sport. Last December, she placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke at the Division 3 state meet. Likins also took 23rd in the 500 freestyle, as well as joining the 200 medley relay team that took ninth place, the Port Huron Times Herald reported. The newspaper named Molly their 2016 Swimmer of the Year.

In the summer of 2015, Likins broke two records at the World Deaf Championships, the Port Huron Times Herald reported. “That was an eye-opener for me personally,” Likins told the paper. “I didn’t know what else was out there other than what I was doing here. I didn’t know there would be so many great swimmers.”

Molly chooses to swim most races without her hearing implants. Allowing her to have that option is something her parents fought hard for.

Suzanne and Brett Likins convinced Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan and Health Alliance Plan that Molly needed the implants. It wasn’t a matter of cosmetics, they argued.

“It would’ve been much harder for her to learn if it hadn’t been for the implants,” Suzanne Likins told the Detroit Free Press. “She would’ve been separated out into an assigned class. The deaf world has a wonderful community, but we chose the implant because we didn’t want anything to stand in her way. Cochlear’s equipment is top-notched.”

A cochlear implant is a surgically-implanted electronic device that helps provide sound to people with severe hearing loss. This severe type of hearing loss is usually caused by damage or a defect in the inner ear, the Free Press reported. Molly has had to sets of implants at a cost of about $300,000.

“Thank God we had good insurance companies like Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and the people at U-M fought for us all the way through,” Suzanne Likins told the Free Press.

As for future, Molly plans on becoming an architect one day. She would like to continue to play softball in college first. Likins said she wants to continue to be an example for some young cousins.

“They are always looking up to me,” she told the Detroit Free Press. “I don’t know about people or kids my age. I hope I do in some way, shape or form.’’

Photo courtesy of the Likins family