Without wanting to make a bad pun, it makes sense to say that Quebec weightlifter Maude Charron has a lot less weight on her shoulders now.
• Also read: Weightlifting: New category, no problem for Maude Charron
On Thursday in Colombia, the gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics finished third at the world weightlifting championships with 59 kilograms. It was the first time Charron competed in such a prestigious competition in this weight class, she achieved fame at 64 kg.
The woman decided to jump to 59 kg because there will be no competition on the side of 64 kg at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“At 64 kg I was already a little 64. Gaining weight wasn’t easy. The choice was easier to go down, ”explained the one who could also have gone to 71 kg in a press conference on Friday.
This bronze medal won in Bogota confirms that she made the right choice.
“I had pressure, but mainly I made it myself. I wanted to prove to myself that I have my place in this category. I also wanted to confirm that our decision to go to 59 kg – and not 71 kg – was correct.
“I also wanted to show my association that my coaching change worked and that our work was worth it.”
In fact, over the past year and beyond, Charron made the important decision to reach out to American coach Spencer Arnold.
“I needed someone who could improve my preparation and have fun for me at the same time. It’s a new Olympic cycle and a new weight class. With that in mind, I wanted to start over.”
Practically qualified for Paris
As Charron so aptly put it, “You shouldn’t sell the bear’s hide until you’ve killed it, but…”. The athlete released this phrase while discussing his qualification for the 2024 games.
Under the new Olympic qualification process, all an athlete needs is one great competition – one big score – to finish in the top 10 and earn their ticket to Paris.
“I’m already in the top 3 after the first Olympic qualification,” emphasized Charron. It would take seven people to beat my score to knock me out of the top 10, which really won’t be easy.”
“This morning I told my mother and my boyfriend that we should look for plane tickets to Paris,” she added, laughing.
In Colombia, Charron lifted a total of 231 kg. Only Colombian Yenny Fernanda Alvarez Caicedo (234 kg) and Kuo Hsing-Chun (232 kg) achieved better results.
The St. Lucia native has yet to compete in at least four more qualifying competitions before the 2024 Summer Games. However, she will have less pressure to perform.
“I’ll want to keep improving, but I can now focus on making big strides ahead of the Paris games instead of taking small steps in each competition hoping for a place.