Nikiski powerlifter Billie Denison earned a silver medal Thursday at the North American Powerlifting Federation Regional Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Denison, 29, took second place at 72 kilograms in the equipped open class in her international debut. It was also only her third time competing in the equipped division, which utilizes a squat suit, knee wraps, a bench shirt and a deadlift suit to help lift more weight compared to the raw category.

Lifters complete three separate lifts, the squat, bench press and deadlift, and the combined weight lifted determines their final score. Denison lifted 347 pounds in the squat, 181 in the bench and 352 for the deadlift, totalling 880 pounds.

Denison will travel to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, next for the Bench Press Nationals to compete the last week of August.