Templeton (22), a Dunedin occupational therapist, was one of two Otago powerlifters in the 12-strong New Zealand team that competed at the world championships in Johannesburg.
Law student Saera Simpson won a bronze medal for the overall total in the women's junior under-52kg class.
Templeton competed in the junior under-63kg class and won a silver medal in the bench press with a personal best 85kg.
She won a bronze medal for her total of 355kg. Her squat was 122.5kg and deadlift 147.5kg.
A competitor from Ecuador won the gold medal and was followed by a lifter from Japan.
''I was very pleased with my performance,'' Templeton told the Otago daily Times.
''It was my first world championships and I gained from the experience and hope to go even better in Finland next year.''
Templeton has only been competing in powerlifting for just over a year and gives credit to her Invercargill coach, Brian Jenkins, for her rapid progress in the sport.
She first demonstrated her temperament for the big time when she won gold medals in the bench press, deadlift and total and silver in the squat at the Oceania championships in Auckland in December.
Templeton trains at the Snap Fitness gymnasium.
