think4yourself

womenwhokickass:

Sarah Robles: Why she kicks ass

• She is an American weightlifter.
• She has been called ‘the strongest woman in America’.
• She was a top-ranked shot putter which earned her scholarships to the University of Alabama and Arizona State University. As part of her shot put training she began Olympic style lifts and after only three months of weight lifting she qualified for nationals. 
• She won the silver medal at a 2010 Pan American competition and is a three time national champion.
• At the 2011 World Championships, she finished in eleventh place in her weight class but first place among American woman weightlifters. 
• Robles has qualified as one of two American women to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
• Even though she was the highest-ranked weightlifter in the United States she lived on less than $400 a month leading up to the London Olympics which was attributed to a lack of popular attention to the sport and due to the discrimination she faced for not having the female athlete body type that is traditionally portrayed in mass media, which meant she had difficulty finding sponsorships. But as of July 16, 2012, a company called Solve Media sponsors her.
• She has Madelung’s deformity in her arm, which leads to significant pain during lifts; although she she is extremely dedicated to weightlifting and treats the pain with wrist wraps and warming creams.
• When she isn’t weightlifting she enjoys blogging and crafting and she hopes to teach P.E. when she retires.

(via seriouslyamerica)