Local lifter wins gold at provincials
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- Published on Friday, December 15, 2017
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Rachel McClay competing at the 水果视频 provincials in Brandon on Dec. 10.
Micah Waddell
Neepawa Banner & Press
Neepawa resident Rachel McClay recently claimed the gold medal in the 58kg weight class at a weightlifting event in Brandon Hosted by Crossfit Rocked, the Olympic style lifting event came to a close on Dec. 10. With three attempts for snatch and three attempts in clean and jerk, McClay successfully lifted four out of her six total attempts. The lifting season began early in the fall and lasts six months.
McClay has successfully qualified for the western finals this year. McClay says, 鈥淚 started weightlifting about two years ago, beforehand I used to run three miles every day and could barely curl a five pound dumbbell. I was inspired by few ladies at the gym throwing a heavy barbell around thinking 鈥榃ow, this is awesome, they are so strong! I wanna do that!鈥� Before I knew it I started taking classes learning the proper movements, and then fell in love with throwing a barbell over my head, while some people thought I was crazy, I didn鈥檛 care, and then realizing what my body is capable of doing with lots of carbs and proper nutrition. Being a girl, I love inspiring women showing them that weights aren鈥檛 just for the boys! I think it鈥檚 very important to teach women and girls to embrace their bodies.鈥�
She went on to say, 鈥淚ron teaches me the power of gaining weight for strength, and gives me another weight to care about - the weight we鈥檙e lifting. We鈥檙e taught to think of our bodies as decorative, an object to be looked at, but iron teaches me to think of our bodies as functional, our own active selves, not passive objects for another鈥檚 regard. Iron gives me confidence, from within through progressive training, and measurable achievements. In this world, we鈥檙e taught to be gentle and hide our strength, or even to cultivate charming physical weakness until we start to believe our bodies are weak. But iron teaches me how strong I can be.鈥�
McClay started with crossfit classes, competing three times, once in Brandon, Winnipeg and once in Saskatoon. Her true passion is the weightlifting part of it, so that is what she focuses on now. McClay has competed in weightlifting competitions so far, placing third, second, and at the finals in Brandon she placed first. Rachel McClay will be going to the Western Canadian Weightlifting Championships in 2018. The location for this event will be announced early in the new year.
