Topic: News: Gabrielle Watkins, 11, Competes in Junior Olympics

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Lifting For the Gold

CHESTERTON: 11-year-old girl to compete in Junior Olympics as weight lifter
By Heather Augustyn

This story ran on nwitimes.com on Monday, July 31, 2006 12:10 AM CDT

CHESTERTON | When Gabrielle Watkins started weightlifting three years ago at age nine, all she wanted to do was spend time with her cousins.

This week, Gabrielle heads to the Junior Olympics in Virginia Beach, Va., to compete, and there is a good chance she'll come home a champion.

"She has the attitude of a national champion, a can-do attitude, and she is flexible, strong and quick," says Larry Watkins, of Portage, Gabrielle's coach who is also her grandfather.

"I liked competing because I got to go into contests to be with my cousins," says Gabrielle, who just turned 11. She trains three times a week in her grandfather's garage using his weights, barbells and two platforms.

Gabrielle is ranked fourth in the nation after competing in the national tournament last year, losing only to girls three and four years her elder. Her grandfather, who has himself competed for 42 years and is ranked fourth in the world, says Gabrielle is likely to finish well at the Junior Olympics.

"I think she's going to win first or second. She's already the school-age champion in Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois," Larry Watkins said.

Gabrielle shares the same hopes and says her grandfather is a good motivator.

"He tells me to pull through and get under it when I'm up at the chalk box. He's coached me through a lot of contests and he has faith in me," said Gabrielle, who has competed in 20 contests with perfect results at 15.

Gabrielle can lift 45 kilos in the clean and jerk and 34 kilos in the snatch. It will be her first time competing at the Junior Olympics, but she sets her goals high.

"I'd like to someday compete at the Olympics," says Gabrielle, and with her record and attitude, she just might.