Etta Love, a 17-year-old weightlifting prodigy from Vancouver, Canada, has made history by breaking the junior world record in the women’s 64kg category. Her astonishing lift of 120kg in the clean & jerk at the recent Canadian Weightlifting Championships has put the sporting world on notice and cemented her status as a top contender for the 2025 World Championships and potential Olympic debut.
A Record-Breaking Moment
Competing against elite senior athletes, Love not only secured gold but surpassed the previous junior world record by 3 kilograms. Her combined total of 210kg (90kg snatch + 120kg clean & jerk) also set a new national benchmark for her age group.
“I still can’t believe it,” Love said after her victory. “This has been my dream since I first touched a barbell at 12. To see that hard work pay off is surreal.”
The Road to Olympic Glory
Love’s rapid ascent in the sport has been remarkable:
- Began training at 12 years old
- Won her first national title at 15
- Now ranked #1 in Canada for her weight class
- On track to qualify for 2025 World Championships
Her coach, Olympian Marie-Ève Beauchemin, believes Love has what it takes to compete on the biggest stage: “Etta has that rare combination of raw strength, technical precision, and competitive fire. She’s rewriting what we thought was possible for Canadian weightlifting.”
Balancing School and Sport
Despite her athletic success, Love remains committed to her education as a high school senior. She maintains a 4.0 GPA while training 20+ hours weekly, often studying between sessions at her local gym.
“My teachers have been incredibly supportive,” she noted. “I do homework during rest periods and sometimes bring my textbooks to competitions.”
What’s Next for the Rising Star?
Love’s immediate focus is the 2024 Junior World Championships, followed by senior international competitions. With continued progress, she could become Canada’s first Olympic weightlifting medalist since 2008.
The weightlifting community is buzzing with excitement. As International Weightlifting Federation president Mohammed Jalood remarked: “Athletes like Etta represent the future of our sport. Her technique at such a young age is extraordinary.”
