As the sports world is igniting for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024, weightlifters are also following the same road. With ongoing European Championships, the road to Paris seems to be quite clear for USA’s lifters. However, not all elite weightlifters have been competing at the European championships this year. 

Along the same lines, one of the top contenders on the USA Weightlifting roster did not appear for the ongoing weightlifting event. But, this is not the major reason for being under the spotlight these days. Instead, the 20-year-old junior world records broker has been making waves as she unveiled a surprising revelation for going against weightlifting norms. 

Reeves’ unique theory of opposing weightlifting norms 

Olivia Reeves, one of the top contenders on the USA weightlifting roster, raised many eyebrows as she wouldn’t use a belt at the championships before 2021. Interestingly, the belt is often considered as one of the vital components in the life of weightlifters as these are specially designed to support the lower back and core. Consequently, belts help in increasing weight while preventing injuries. 

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However, for Reeves, it was not a necessity and was required by her until she decided to lift 140+ in clean & jerk. In an exclusive podcast with Philosophical Weightlifting, she said, “ I use it for clean and jerks over 80/85% now. I needed to make bigger weights, and I wanted to see if it would help with that…I competed and trained without it for so long, and I like to think I would have made my PRs without it too.“

Despite not wearing belts on heavy lifts for so long, Reeves has taken the weightlifting world by storm at a mere 20 years of age. Even after a successful career as a youth, she looked hungrier than ever before as she shattered previous records in C& J and total to clinch 71kg bronze at the worlds in 2021. 

However, her achievements were not done for the year, as she broke all three junior world records in an hour at the IWF Grand Prix II in Qatar. Besides this, till now, she has been the only non-superheavyweight female lifter in the history of USA lifting to clinch a 147kg jerk. Now, Reeves is eyeing a 2024 Paris Olympics Spot. But, it is not as easy as it seems to be at first glance for Reeves. 

Battle of powers in Paris Olympics 2024 selection

As per norms, only one weightlifter per class will get a coveted spot at the Olympic games this year. As a result, Reeves, Meredith Alwine, and 2020 Tokyo Silver Medalist Kate Vibert Davis are in a neck-to-neck battle for the same spot. Before the WSF Grand Prix II, Reeves was sitting at 4th, and Vibert was sitting at 5th. But it changed dramatically.

Road to Paris 2024: USA’s 19-Year-Old Weightlifter Ties World Record, Gets a Step Closer to Olympic Games

As Reeves won a 71kg Group A session, she is much ahead of Vibert on the road to Paris in 2024. US Director of Coaching Mike Gattone explained to IWF, “We have two in each category fighting it out, and you can see what it does. In Cuba (at the last qualifier), Kate did better, and Olivia was crying, and this time, it’s the other way around. They’re pushing the heck out of each other.” It remains to be seen who will punch the tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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