Athlete Blog: Tracey Lambrechs – The Road to the Games

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With less than three weeks till I leave for the Gold Coast, I am very excited! My coach, training partner and I are going over early, roughly two weeks early because we have found this works well for us. Last year when we had our trial at the Oceania Championships, we did the same and it turned out to be one of my best competitions ever. Besides, the heat definitely helps with the weight loss and makes it easier for the body to move.

If I’m honest with you there are a lot of emotions and pressure going into these Games. A lot of people are expecting me to medal again and of course I’m going to do my best, but every Games has been different for me. Delhi 2010, fresh on the scene, no one expected too much from me and I placed 5th. Glasgow 2014, a bronze medal.  The only people who believed in me were my coach and family and friends…everyone else had given up on me due to my disaster of a build-up. Now here we are – Gold Coast 2018. New category, new coach and a lot of controversy in the sport. I have been on an epic journey with my weightlifting since I first started in 2003, and a lot of highs and lows, but one thing I’ve learnt and try to focus on is controlling the controllable. I can’t control the rules, but I can voice my opinion. I can’t help what the media prints, but I can be an advocate for women’s sport and fair play.  But for now I’m going to be selfish, it’s going to be all about me and what I need to get the job done on the 9th of April.

Come the 9th April, 2:30pm Gold Coast time, in front of family and friends in the crowd and everyone watching on TV, I will leave everything I have on the platform.  I can’t guarantee anything but me doing what I can on the day and having fun as well. I’m going to wear that fern with the pride it deserves and I’m going to remind Kiwis why we love sport so much. Yes, the fighting spirit will be there along with the biggest smile of life!

Keep an eye out for my April blog as I’ll do a little tour of the Athletes’ Village, food hall and facilities. Until then, have a great month!

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