Decorated weightlifter gets creative while training for Tokyo Olympics
Like so many athletes, Mattie Rogers was less than pleased last year when the Olympics were postponed.
"I mean, we all qualified and earned our spot, and then it was kind of taken back almost," Rogers said. "So, I think we’re all in the same boat, almost. We’re tired; we’re exhausted; we’re upset."
She looked much happier this year at the media summit.
Rogers spent the first 12 years of her life doing gymnastics before transitioning into CrossFit at 17 years old and weightlifting competitively.
“I was the alternate for the 2016 Olympics. So, I have been hanging since there, hoping to get another shot,” Rogers said.
With fewer than 100 days to go until the postponed Olympic Games, Rogers reflects on what it took to get here.
"Weightlifting. We’re lucky to have kind of minimal weightlifting requirements," she said. "So, if you can get your hands on a bar and some weights, you can do something to train."
With the COVID-19 pandemic keeping gyms and training facilities closed, athletes around the world have had to jump through hoops to stay in shape and at the top of their games. Rogers told sister station KOCO that she worked to create a training space in her rental property.
"My situation’s been a little rough. I’ve had to cut up my living room carpet to make my garage level so I have a place to train," Rogers said. "But I think, in general, it’s made me a lot tougher as an athlete. Mentally, I feel like I can train anytime or anywhere now, which is good because, in competitions, you never know what’s going to be thrown at you."
Watch the video above for more on this story.