Weightlifting is a small sport by international standards and, in some ways, borderline microscopic in the United States. But Olympic lifting in recent years has puffed its chest somewhat, thanks in part to the CrossFit craze and, more specifically, efforts of phenomenal young athletes like Team USA’s Olivia Reeves.
Reeves, 20, is a Paris-bound Olympian — one of five selected by USA Weightlifting to campaign for the podium at this summer’s Games, which run from Jul. 26 to Aug. 11. Unlike her colleagues, who are spectacular strength athletes in their own rights, Reeves is the gold-medal favorite in her weight category; a burden she bears with a smile.
[Related: The Best Weightlifting Shoes on the Market]
BarBend caught up with Reeves to talk shop about her rapid rise to the top of a sport where women have historically struggled to bask in the limelight they deserve, and whether she’s ready to win it all in Paris.
BarBend: How does it feel to head to your first Olympics as the presumptive gold medalist?
- Olivia Reeves: “It’s an incredible honor and responsibility. There is still so much work to be done as I have personal goals regardless of the outcome. I am incredibly proud to have earned a spot on the Olympic team no matter the result.”
BB: You and Hampton Morris are the two youngest athletes on Team USA for this Olympics. Who on the team do you look to for guidance and advice, and how has the support structure from USA Weightlifting helped you on your journey?
- OR: “I look to Jourdan Delacruz and Wes Kitts as they have valuable knowledge coming from Tokyo. I look up to Mary Theisen- Lappin for her many years in sports, not just weightlifting. And I am inspired by Hampton Morris‘ ability to remain so disciplined in his preparation. My personal coach, Steve Fauer, in addition to Mike Gattone and Pyrros Dimas makes me feel I could not be in better hands leading up to Paris.”
BB: In a recent Reddit AMA, you talked about the intersection of your athletic career with social media. How does social media impact your lifestyle as a professional athlete?
- OR: “There’s not much of an impact from social media on my weightlifting career. Though I may have a significant amount of followers, I don’t feel I have a major online presence. I am planning on producing more behind-the-scenes content looking into some training prep, but I enjoy staying off social media for the most part.”
BB: Weightlifting is a small and relatively niche sport compared to many summer Games events, despite being one of the oldest events held at the Olympics. Are there any common misconceptions about weightlifters that frustrate you?
- OR: “It’s frustrating that people don’t know the difference between powerlifting, weightlifting, and bodybuilding. While I’m happy to educate those who are unfamiliar with the differences, I unfortunately cannot answer the question, ‘So how much do you bench?’”
BB: What are you looking forward to most as a first-time Olympian?
- OR: “There’s so much. Living in the athlete village, meeting the best athletes in the world from all sports, and competing on the biggest stage. It’s a privilege to represent my country in such a special way.”
How Olivia Reeves Made It to the 2024 Olympics
In June, Reeves told BarBend in an exclusive interview that qualifying for the 2024 Olympics was, “fun” — an airy proclamation you’d not likely hear from many of her contemporaries who have fought tooth and nail against themselves and each other to make it into their weight class’s top 10.
- “I’m lucky. I don’t have to push myself,” she continued. Yet if you glance at her resume since the qualifying period began in 2022, you’d see a steady climb.
It’s the sort of effort that athletes grind and grimace to achieve, but Reeves has gleefully galloped her way to the (almost) top.
Editor’s Note: The formatting below reads as, “Total (Snatch / Clean & Jerk)” in kilograms.
- 2022 World Weightlifting Championships: 245 (106/139)
- 2023 Pan American Championships: 247 (108/139)
- 2023 IWF Grand Prix I: 241 (108/133)
- 2023 World Weightlifting Championships: 253 (111/142)
- 2023 Pan American Games: 258 (114/144)*
- 2023 IWF Grand Prix II: 262 (115/147)
- 2024 IWF World Cup: 268 (118/150)
At the 2023 Pan American Games, Reeves competed at a heavier bodyweight. Her 258-kilogram Total did not contribute toward her qualifying for the Olympics in the 71-kilogram category, but it did rank her in the world top 10 in the heavier 81-kilogram category.
[Historic Upset: Rizki Juniansyah Outlifts Teammate Rahmat Erwin Abdullah, “Steals” 2024 Olympics Slot]
Map this trajectory out on paper, connect the dots, and you’d see the fiery tail of a rocket ship taking off. Reeves’ seemingly unstoppable progress on the lifting platform not only ignited the hopes of American weightlifting fans — it doused the dreams of Team China.
China is weightlifting’s winningest country at the Olympics and, well, everywhere else. Come the closure of the qualification period in late spring, and Team China announced they would not select 71-kilogram leaderboard topper (and world-record holder) Liao Guifang for the Olympics, opting to send women weightlifters in other divisions instead.
[Related: Best Multivitamins for Women]
It was not explicitly stated that Team China were deterred by Reeves, who closed the qualifying period as world-number-two, but the optics do spin such a tale. At the 2024 USA Weightlifting National Championships in June, Reeves politely confirmed that Guifang was wise to sit this one out. Reeves set new personal records across the board:
- Snatch: 120 kilograms
- Clean & Jerk: 151 kilograms
- Total: 271 kilograms
These lifts struck within a sliver of the 71-kilogram world records. Reeves has aged out of the Junior division, but if you popped open that record book, you’d find her name thrice inked there, too.
Fans can find Olivia on the weightlifting platform at the 2024 Olympics on Friday, Aug. 9 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time during the Women’s 71-kilogram event.
More Weightlifting News
- Weightlifter Dislocates Finger Mid-Lift, Pops It Back Into Place to Win National Championships
- Team China’s 2024 Olympics Weightlifting Roster Revealed
- Karlos Nasar Sets Unofficial World Records … Again
Featured Image: USA Weightlifting
