Members of the U.S. weightlifting team held a training camp at Waseda University from September 12-17 in advance of the World Championships in Pattaya, Thailand. We spoke with the coach and members of the team, including a Rio Olympics bronze medalist, about their thoughts and team policies for the upcoming World Championships and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
training in the gym
[Team USA profiles]
Coach Mike Gattone: USA Weightlifting Senior Director of Sport Performance and Coaching Education
Katherine Nye: Gold medalist at the 2019 Junior World Weightlifting World Championships
Harrison Maurus: Bronze medalist at the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships
Sarah Robles: Bronze medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics
Morghan King: Competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics
— Why did you choose to make Waseda University your training base?
Coach Mike Gattone: “One reason is the distance to the World Championships in Thailand (from the U.S.). Also, the Tokyo Olympics are next year, and I thought it would be a good opportunity for the athletes to visit Tokyo this time of the year.”
–What are your impressions of the training camp in Tokyo?
Coach Mike Gattone: “The hotels and meals have been fantastic, and the people are wonderful. The weight lifting area is also comfortable, and the athletes enjoy their training.”
–What are the goals of this camp?
Katherine Nye: “The first is to prepare for the World Championships. We can also know our physical condition and adjust our conditioning, and learn about Tokyo, the host of the Olympics.”
training in the gym
–Tell us about your aspirations for the World Championships.
Coach Mike Gattone: “We want to win some medals in order to be in a good position in the rankings for the Tokyo Olympics. We have a lot of athletes who can win a medal. The women are strong, and there are 2 or 3 contenders among the men.”
Katherine Nye: “I want to do my best since this is the first time I’ll be competing as a senior at the World Championships. And I want to give it my all for the Olympics next year. I think the training camp provides a great opportunity to experience the atmosphere of Tokyo.”
Harrison Maurus: “I want to perform better than the last time and beat my personal best if possible.”
Sarah Robles: “The goal of the World Championships is to take your personal best and score points for the Olympics. I want to compete in the Olympics and be the first in the U.S. to win consecutive medals.
Harrison Maurus
–You are moving up to senior from junior class. What’s your take on that?
Katherine Nye: “There is a lot of pressure in being a senior, but with the Olympics on the horizon, you have to compete against people from all over the world. That said, I’m glad to be a senior.”
–What are the strengths of Team USA?
Coach Mike Gattone: “We are a large country and have a deep pool of talented and promising athletes. In particular, we have many strong female athletes, which is a different strength America has over other countries. Since we also have a large population, the quality of skills naturally rises as athletes aim for the top, which I think is a strength.”
–What are you particularly aware of in leading Team USA?
Coach Mike Gattone: “Since the athletes are also being paid, I am conscious of giving them as many opportunities and environments as possible in training camps like this one.”
training in the gym
–What is your personal strength?
Katherine Nye: “The snatch is my specialty. I’m also confident that I’m mentally strong. But, I’m not overconfident. That’s a strength, I think.”
Harrison Maurus: “My strength is the squat. I think I’m better at the back squat and front squat than other athletes. The same goes for the mental aspect, too.”
Sarah Robles: “One is physical. I’m strong in terms of the level of my power. Another is mental. You have to be persistent and never give up. That’s a strength.”
Sarah Robles
–What do you enjoy about weightlifting?
Harrison Maurus: “That I’m able to increase my skills training every day.”
Sarah Robles: “I’ve gained great friends and a chance to go to different places through competing. When it comes to competing, it makes you strong. It’s a joy to know that you have more strength than you imagined.”
training in the gym
–Tell us about your impressions of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics
Morghan King: “Since it was my first Olympic Games, the atmosphere of the venue made an impact. The scenery you saw on TV was right in front of me, and I will never forget the feeling of being there. The most memorable was the closing ceremony, when Japanese Prime Minister Abe dressed up as Mario. I couldn’t help but laugh.”
–What are your impressions of the Olympic test event (held on July 6-7, 2019)?
Coach Mike Gattone: “It was great. The competition venue was magnificent and the atmosphere of the arena for weightlifting was positive.”
–Tell us about your hopes and aspirations for the Tokyo Olympics?
Coach Mike Gattone: “I want to win around 3-5 medals. At the very least, I want to win one each for the men and women. Winning more than three is a big goal, but I recognize that we have to put a huge amount of energy into that.”
Morghan King: “I want to finish in the top eight, and will work to achieve that goal. However, it’s only been six years since I started weightlifting, so my first goal is to be in the top eight. This training camp in Tokyo has been a good chance to experience the city.”
Katherine Nye: “My goal is to win a medal, so I want to do as much as possible to that end.”
Article and photography: Hotaka Ito , Waseda Sports Magazine
