At the Victorian Women's State Powerlifting Championships, Bev Francis set world records in squat, deadlift and total in the 75 kg class.
On 8 October 1977, at the Victorian Women's State Powerlifting Championships, Bev Francis established her first documented world records in powerlifting: a 145.0 kg squat, a 165.0 kg deadlift, and a 412.5 kg total in the 75 kg weight class.
This meet marked the beginning of what would become an extraordinary run of world-record-breaking performances across multiple weight classes and lift categories over the following decade. Women's powerlifting was still an emerging and marginalized sport in the late 1970s, with few sanctioned competitions and limited recognition; Francis's rapid dominance helped legitimize the sport as a serious athletic pursuit for women.
Her performance in Victoria demonstrated exceptional natural strength and technical proficiency, particularly remarkable given the relatively short time she had been training in the discipline after transitioning from track and field. This event set the stage for Francis's subsequent international dominance, including her eventual streak of six consecutive world championship titles from 1980 to 1985, and her recognition decades later as one of the strongest women in history.