Mattie Rogers, a native of Apopka and University of Central Florida graduate, just made history at Thailand’s 2019 Weightlifting World Championships. Rogers, who has her eyes set on next year’s Olympic Games, did her part Monday, becoming the first American woman to ever medal at 3 consecutive world championships.
Competing in the 71kg weight category, Rogers lifted 240kg (529lbs) total — a personal best and good for silver. Her 134kg (295lbs) “clean and jerk” and 106kg (233lbs) “snatch” were good for silver and bronze respectively. Effectively, she lifted the equivalent of both a set of bunk beds and a washing machine during her two medal-winning lifts.
All this to say, a pretty good day for the Apopka native who grew up as a gymnast and cheerleader before becoming the “World’s Most Popular Weightlifter.”
Mattie Rogers
In the span of just a few years, 23-year-old Martha Ann “Mattie” Rogers has become arguably the biggest name in USA weightlifting. She’s been a World University Champion, an American Open champ, and the “Best Overall Lifter” at the National Championships and Olympic Trials (despite narrowly missing a spot on the 2016 Olympic team). In 2018, she became the first American in more than 20 years to medal at the World Championships in consecutive years, and her U.S. records in the snatch and clean & jerk had some observers already ranking her as the best American 69 KG female weightlifter of all time.
Growing up outside Orlando, Florida, Mattie’s earliest Olympic aspirations were actually focused on gymnastics. By 17, however, a growth spurt and an introduction to CrossFit had redirected her energy to weightlifting, and new Olympic goals soon followed.
As she sets her eyes on a World Championship in 2019 and an Olympic debut in 2020, Rogers has gained the backing of a devoted fan base, including many young lifters inspired by her dedication and accomplishments.
Editor's Note: roguefitness.com contributed to this report.
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