A NINE-year-old Basingstoke girl has become a two-time British weightlifting champion after taking up the sport just 16 months ago.
Ivey Miller, daughter of Cheryl-Leigh Miller of Linden Avenue in Old Basing, is the current British Weightlifting champion and English Weightlifting champion in her age category.
Ivey took up weightlifting in September 2020 as she was so interested in it after watching her mum and stepdad do CrossFit training.
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“As the schools were closed at the start of the lockdown, she was always watching us do CrossFit training which had elements of weightlifting,” said Cheryl, a nurse.
“She used to come and get a PVC pipe and try to imitate what we do with a barbell. Seeing her interest, I did some research and found a local coach who would train her. That’s how she started training.”
Ivey trains at the Ministry Gym in Basingstoke under her coach Luke Patterson from Team WTP.
Because of the lockdown, she competed in virtual events first. Virtual English Championships in February 2021 was her first event in which she had to record doing free snatches and free clean and jerks and submit the scores.
She won the event before also becoming champion in the British Virtual Championships in July 2021.
“After restrictions were lifted, Ivey did her first face-to-face competition in August 2021 near Southampton to get qualification total to compete in British championships in November,” Cheryl added.
A big fan of British weightlifter Sarah Davies, the Year 4 pupil’s dream is to represent Team GB in the Olympics.
“She just wants to be like Sarah Davis when she is older,” Cheryl said.
“We are going to watch her at Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August.
“Ivey literally lives for weightlifting, bless her. I remember her saying to me when she won the first title that it was the best thing that ever happened to her.
“We are very lucky she is part of the Ministry Gym. She gets treated like an absolute champion there, which she loves a lot.”
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Since she is a development lifter, she doesn’t have to watch her weight.
“In British weightlifting, anyone under the age of 12 gets double points for correct technique,” Ivey’s mum said.
“It is good to have good technique and get higher point than going very heavy. It is to reduce the risk of injuries among younger children and make sure they do it in the correct form.”
Ivey’s personal best is 21kg snatch and 26kg clean and jerk.
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