“Everyone is like stepping onto the podium for the first time” – Holly Lasante, Sault weightlifter
Each competition brings a new challenge.
For Sault Ste. Marie Holly Lasante, powerlifting means a chance to compete on the world stage and be very successful while doing so.
“Everyone is like stepping onto the podium for the first time,” Lasante said. “I’m still nervous and excited. There are always new competitors. It’s not like you go there and lift with the same people all the time. Sometimes there are familiar faces, but often there are more new people than not. It’s a new encounter every time you go there. It’s never sure. »
Even with new faces competing in competitions, Lasante said the focus tends to stay the same for her in every event.
“The only thing you can do is focus on yourself,” Lasante said. “Make sure you’re as strong as you can be. I really focus on form because there are so many technical details to consider when doing your lifts. The only person you can really worry about is yourself when it comes to training.
International competition has meant a lot to Lasante, who has competed at four world championships, including her recent gold medal performance in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Lasante won an overall gold medal while winning gold in the squat and silver in the deadlift at the IPF Masters Powerlifting World Championships.
“There’s so much energy when you’re there,” Lasante said. “It’s all over the world. You know, these people are all here to compete in the same sport.
“Everyone is there with the same goal,” added Lasante. “We’re all so excited and you’re immediately friends with everyone, which is so crazy. It’s super competitive, but it’s different.
Athlete support for each other is something that continually stands out for Lasante.
“Everyone is pushing for you to have super success,” Lasante said. “In the middle of the lift, there were people coming up to me saying ‘Hey, you got it’ or ‘You’re gonna do that’.”
“Or it’s me going up to people,” Lasante said. “There was a lady from France who was having a hard time and I said ‘You’ve got it. Focus and you’ll kill it. It’s like that in every lift. You’re the biggest fan of all. world.
After competing in regional, national and global competitions over the past few months, returning to competition has been a boost.
“It rekindles that passion a bit,” Lasante said.
Now that the last world championships are behind her, Lasante is preparing to compete at the upcoming national championships, which will be held in Vancouver in the new year.
“I’m back to my regular training routine, but it’s great because I’m back on the horse,” Lasante said. “It feels good, and you just want to keep improving.”
After winning the national championships in St. John to qualify, Lasante called the world championships, also held in St. John, “very intense.”
“You still put a lot of pressure on yourself to get there,” Lasante said. “When I’m training and preparing for a competition like the world championships, I don’t think I want to be average. I want to go out there and be the best I can be. When you’re home, I got on the podium, and it was sold out. I have never lifted in front of so many people before. They all applaud and it touches your heart. It’s almost like it makes you stronger because you’re home.
“It was pretty amazing to be in this type of competition in front of all these other Canadians,” added Lasante.
A multiple-time world champion, Lasante agreed that the feeling of winning is always special.
“When I was on the podium and they were playing the national anthem, that was my dream forever,” Lasante said. “Being world champion seems insane and then having them play the Canadian national anthem because of what you did for your team, I was trying so hard not to cry. It was quite moving. »
Preparing for the worlds was a bit of a training adjustment for Lasante, who competed at the nationals in the 69-kilo class before competing in the 63-kilo group at the worlds.
“I had to lose about seven kilos to compete, so it was a bit different for me, it was losing weight while still being able to maintain my strength and do all the training we normally would,” Lasante said.
Working with coach Austyn Ryan has been as good as it gets as Lasante continues to have success.
“It’s amazing,” Lasante said of working with Ryan. “He knows when to call me (out) if I’m lazy.”
“I’m really lucky to have such a long-term relationship with him,” Lasante added. “It was awesome.”
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