Topic: Melanie Roach A Good Thing For US Weightlifting Awareness

[Andy Dick]

I have been hogging my roommates computer this week watching the weightlifting online (my computer is down right now).  There were some friends of mine over watching the Olympics on TV while I was watching on his computer.  I was able to get 2 of them to watch the competition with Melanie.  It was good to see 1 that my friends actually got interested in the lifting.  Part of it I think was because of the vested interest of Americans in the sport.  But I also think that Melanie's comeback story is widely known and has brought some attention to her and thus the sport.  I think this is a good thing because who knows who may enter the sport because they see it on the Olympics and want to start lifting.  I know I am stating what many already realized but it was just encouraging to hear something (especially positive) about Olympic weightlifting from some of my friends.  It was also cool to see because one of my friends who was female was shocked when she saw the lifters come out she said "they look like girls, not like muscle bound men."   They realized that even though these girls were strong and had some noticable muscle they still retained their feminine figure.  I couldn't help but smile but I think it is good that some people are getting their eyes opened to the sport and a new respect.  It also gave me the chance to really explain things about the sport and hopefully get the interest of 2 more people.

I know we have a long way to go but it is at least a start.

[Dave Chiu]

Amen!!