Describing Melanie Roach as a strong woman can be taken two ways. She’s a national level powerlifter, but she is also a business owner and mom of three – including a special needs son.
At only 5 feet 1 inch and 117 pounds, she looks nothing like what most people expect from a powerlifter. She was a gymnast until 10 years ago, then took up weight lifting and in 1998 set an unofficial world record by lifting twice her body weight, a first for an American woman.
A quick video of Melanie from Lori at last years Arnold Classic:
