Melanie Roach: Extraordinary Woman

This is my friend Melanie Roach. She's working toward her dream of Beijing--at the age of 32 and as a mother of 3. See a great local tv story about her here.

Melanie was the first woman in the US to clean and jerk double-bodyweight; I think it was back in 1998. She still holds the record at 113 kg @ 53 kg bodyweight.

Here it is, almost 10 years later, and she is hitting lifetime PRs in terms of volume and intensity during training. Anyone else care to even think about back squatting 155 kg at 54.3 kg bodyweight, or power jerking 120 kg? She has her sights set high and they are focused on the 2008 Olympics.

She most recently hit a double-bodyweight clean and jerk at the 2007 Nationals in May. You can see that highlight in this video. As of July 1, she is ranked somewhere in the top 15 in the world in the 53 kg weight class.

Send her good karma as she travels to Rio this week to represent the US in the Pan American Games. Melanie is a tremendous athlete and a wonderful person. Go Mel!

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Anonymous said…
Tudo sobre Melanie Roach.
4:47 PM
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