Kezia Romany has no problem carrying a weight on her shoulders.
It’s something the 14-year-old Markham resident enjoys since she was introduced to competitive weightlifting 18 months ago.
A member of the Markham Weightlifting Club where she currently competes in the 48-kg division after making her debut in the 44-kg class, Romany already holds six provincial lifting records while competing in those two categories.
The Grade 9 St. Brother Andre Catholic High School student recently earned a berth on the Ontario weightlifting team that will compete at the junior national championships in Regina this weekend.
Romany punched her ticket to the championships after meeting several qualifying markers at a junior provincial meet last month.
“It was great to have a goal like breaking the records to work towards, and it’s definitely rewarding,” she said. “But it’s just a small step.
“I hope to place on the podium at this competition, and I have a fair shot at it. I’m just going to give 100 per cent and let my training pay off.”
Romany’s introduction to weightlifting stemmed from her involvement in crossfit training.
While working out at CrossFit Markham, the facility introduced a weightlifting club.
Doing some weightlifting as a regimen of her crossfit and hearing about the club, Romany asked the weightlifting coach if she could give it a try.
“At first I liked how much it helped me in crossfit, I really improved my technique and got stronger,” she noted. “Now that my technique has gotten better, I like how you can see your hard work paying off, and to see how much of an improvement I’ve made in the past year and a half.”
Steve Cristini, owner and head coach of CrossFit Markham and who along with Yuki Akell, coaches Romany, was confident she will make her presence felt at the junior nationals.
“If she continues to enjoy the training as much as she does, she can make international competitions,” he said. “She has accomplished so much in a year and a half and she is only 14. By the time she is 18 she should likely be competing at junior Pan Ams and potentially senior Pan Ams.”
Courtesy of: York Region