My name is Maddison Power, I’m 15 and I’m an Australian Olympic weightlifter. 

I started gymnastics at 8 and CrossFit at 10, where I found weightlifting and since then I’ve fallen in love with the sport. 

My first competition was the Under 15’s State Championships in 2016 where I placed 3rd and made the QLD team for nationals with only 6 months of training. I placed 1st at Nationals and that was the moment that I thought maybe I could go somewhere with this sport.

I trained hard and in August 2017, I was selected for the Commonwealth/Oceania championships team. This was my first international comp and I was so happy that I could have all my friends and family with me since it was being held here on the Gold Coast.

Later that year in October I found out that I was selected for my second international competition in Vanuatu for the Pacific Mini Games in December, where I was honoured to be the flag bearer for the Australian team!

At the start of January 2018, I was told of the qualifications needed for the Youth Olympic games in Argentina. You had to be highest ranked youth weightlifter across all weight categories to be selected.

In June 2018 I competed in my first Oceania Championships in New Caledonia. My main focus for that comp was to be the highest ranked youth to qualify, only to have my worst performance to date with 3/6 lifts (one snatch and 2 clean & jerks).

Arriving home a few days later I hopped on a plane for Perth for the National U15 & Youth Championships. My luck had changed where I had my best performance and I made my way back up to the top of the list!

A week later there was a local QLD club comp, which my main competitor lifted in and I found out that she’d taken the lead again! My last shot at getting the highest rank was at the QLD Snr and Jnr state championships a week later.

The mental toughness needed week in and week out was taking its toll on me. I needed something special. As I successfully completed a huge Personal Best on my last clean & jerk, I realised what I had achieved! I’d made it to the Youth Olympics! That feeling was indescribable!

Maddison Power & Coach Callum Hannay

Youth Olympics: Argentina

Argentina came around very quickly and soon enough I had arrived at the Youth Olympic village. It was such an amazing experience with amazing athletes from all corners of the globe.

I successfully completed 4/6 lifts placing 7th in the world and I couldn’t be any happier with my performance. Time flies when you’re having fun and soon enough, I was on the plane heading home. Since the Games I have qualified for Youth World Championships which will be in Las Vegas in March 2019.

Youth Olympics has been my biggest achievement so far and my next massive goal is to make the Commonwealth team for the 2022 Commonwealth games in Birmingham, England.