While it might look like pure strength is at the heart of weightlifting, New Brunswick athletes show that it really starts with unwavering determination.
“I’ve been training and competing now for 34 years this year,” said Jill Miller, who not only competes but is also coach development for New Brunswick Weightlifting.
“In 1993, there was the inauguration of the World Masters Women Weightlifting Championships, and I said, ‘I’m going to compete at that.’”
She competes alongside her husband, Ken Miller, who has been competing for the last 54 years.
“I started out in 1970,” he said.
“I had a friend of mine that was on the Canadian National Olympic team in 1968, he got to the Olympics, and I actually hitchhiked from Ontario to Mexico to watch him lift.”
Shortly after, he started weightlifting himself and he’s never looked back since.
“It was absolute strength when I started. It was the most important, key thing. We just got stronger and stronger. As the years progressed, the technique has improved and we’ve got better training and so speed, coordination and all those things have improved over the years,” he explained.
Jill and Ken have been competing for decades now.
The duo moved to New Brunswick a few years ago for two main reasons – to live by the seaside and to help grow the sport of weightlifting.
“Before I moved here, there was nobody in the province who could train and qualify coaches, now there is and there was no international level referees and Ken also trains and certifies referees,” she said.
New Brunswick Weightlifting Association President Gregory Doucette says the sport took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they’re working hard to attract interest in the province.
On Saturday, 25 athletes from 17 to 77 years old came out for the Provincial Championships.
“We’ve got kids in Canada now age 8 lifting weights and we’ve got adults all the way up,” said Doucette.
“There’s one Masters out of Canada. He’s a 6x World Champion. He’s 95 and he’s still lifting.”
Doucette got into the sport after he turned 50-years-old.
He’s now been to the Nationals, the Worlds and the Pan-Americans to compete.
“I had a disastrous 40 decade, so I decided to get back in shape. I started CrossFit for a couple of years, found the sport of weightlifting and then I started weightlifting and I’ve been weightlifting for six years now,” he said.
“It’s an easy sport, snatch, clean and jerk, two lifts, add your two best lifts together to get your total and I think people are really trying to find fulfillment in activities that they typically wouldn’t do.”
Those involved say it has everything from physical benefits to mental benefits and even social benefits.
“Within Olympic weightlifting you have power, you have balance, you have coordination, flexibility. So this sport brings so much extra to somebody who wants to improve their lifestyle,” said Jill.
It’s also something that you can do for your entire life.
“I’m qualified for the World Championships, which are in Finland in August, so I will be going there. What I made today was well over qualifying standards, so I’m quite happy with that,” said Ken.
The pair said after Finland they plan to go to Sweden and then Barcelona to visit friends they’ve made through the sport.
“We have a community that spans the whole world as Master Olympic Weightlifters,” said Jill.
