Not only was there the training part that I loved, the hard training, the discipline, and the technique, but there was also the thrill of competing, the adrenaline: this sport was made for me.
After two months of training, my coach at the time told me that if I trained hard enough during two years, I had the talent to go to the World Junior Championship in 2002.
We were in the beginning of year 2000 at the time. I trained so hard to make it there, everyday of the week and nine times a week during the summer, when school was off. I finally made it a year earlier than what he expected, in 2001.
After that, I knew I was in this sport to stay. I made really good friends there in my first year, but eventually, they all left the sport. I loved weightlifting too much to let anything stop me from doing it. And I still do.
RT: Now, I read from various online sports outlets, including your hometown "ESPN" in CBC Sports, that you took up gymnastics prior to weightlifting.
That had to be quite a transition to go from a sport where you're literally on the edge every minute to an another sport where you are pushing yourself to the limits with strength and agility. Or was the change from gymnastics to weightlifting a bit gradual than that?
MD-P: Hm...I don't know about that gymnastic rumour! I've often been asked if I had been practicing any sport prior to weightlifting and I always said no, beside two years of circus (on an irregular basis).
I did try gymnastic, but I was seven years old and I quit after barely a month of training because I did not like it (I regret it a little now, because I think it's an amazing sport).
So the transition was more from not practicing any sport to training everyday, which was fine, because I wanted to train so much. If I would've been allowed to sleep at the gym, I would probably have lived there!
I have to say, though, that I know many great weightlifters that are ex-gymnasts. The reason is simple: by 12 years old, if you are not an excellent gymnast, you know you probably won't make it to the Olympics.
It just happens that 12 is a great age to start weightlifting and both sports require pretty much the same abilities, such as balance, flexibility, power, agility and a lot of discipline.
I remember watching Tara Nott winning the gold at the 2000 Olympic Games. She had only been training for a few years in weightlifting.
How was she able to do that? Well, I don't know, but I bet her gymnastic background had a little something to do with this great achievement.
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