Sarah Robles

American weightlifter (born 1988)

Sarah Robles

Personal information

Nationality| American
Born|  (1988-08-01) August 1, 1988 (age 37)
San Diego, California
Height| 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight| 140 kg (309 lb)
Sport
Country| United States
Sport| Weightlifting
Event| +87kg
Club| Team Houston
Coached by| Tim Swords
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals| two time bronze medalist (2016 & 2020)
World finals| 2017 senior world champion 2008 junior world silver medalist
Regional finals| five time Pan American champion (2017-2020; 2022)

2019 Pan American Games champion

2010 Pan American silver medalist
National finals| eleven time national champion
Personal bests|

* Snatch: 128 kg (2018)
* Clean and jerk: 162 kg (2018) AM
* Total: 290 kg (2018) AM

Medal record

Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | +75 kg
| 2020 Tokyo | +87 kg
World Championships
| 2017 Anaheim | +90 kg
World Junior Championships
| 2008 Cali | +75 kg
Pan American Games
| 2019 Lima | +87 kg
Pan American Championships
| 2017 Miami | +90 kg
| 2018 Santo Domingo | +90 kg
| 2019 Guatemala City | +87 kg
| 2020 Santo Domingo | +87 kg
| 2022 Bogotá | +87 kg
| 2010 Guatemala City | +75 kg
| 2023 Bariloche | +87 kg
Disqualified | 2013 Margarita Island | +75 kg

Sarah Elizabeth Robles (born August 1, 1988) is an American weightlifter. She qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and earned a bronze medal in weightlifting at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, becoming the first US athlete to medal in Olympic weightlifting in 16 years. She repeated her feat in the +87 kg category at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, once again earning bronze, and becoming the first US woman to earn two Olympic weightlifting medals.[1][2]

## Career

[edit]

Growing up in Desert Hot Springs, California, Robles competed in throwing events at San Jacinto High School in San Jacinto, California. Top-ranked in shot put, she earned scholarships to the University of Alabama and Arizona State University.[3] As part of her shot put training at a local Arizona gym under coach Joe Micela, she began doing Olympic-style lifts in 2008. That same year, after only three months of weightlifting, Robles qualified for nationals and stopped competing in shot put, losing her scholarship in the process.[3]

### Competition

[edit]

Robles won the silver medal at a 2010 Pan American competition and became a three time national champion.[4]

At the 2011 World Championships, she finished in eleventh place in her weight class but first place among American women weightlifters. Robles qualified as one of two American women to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[3][5]

#### 2012 Summer Olympics

[edit]

Despite being the highest-ranked weightlifter in the United States, Robles lived on less than $400 a month leading up to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[3] Commentators have suggested that this was the result both of the lack of popular attention to the sport of weightlifting, as well as Robles and other women in the sport having larger body types than those of women athletes traditionally portrayed in mass media. Robles has been quoted as saying that, "You can get that sponsorship if you're a super-built guy or a girl who looks good in a bikini. But not if you're a girl who's built like a guy."[3] As of July 16, 2012, a company called Solve Media was Robles's sponsor.[6]

In competition, Robles came in 6th place in the +75kg, lifting 120 kilograms (265 lb) in the snatch, and 145 kilograms (320 lb) with the clean and jerk for a total of 265 kilograms (584 lb).

#### Doping controversy

[edit]

On June 29, 2013, Robles failed a test for "DHEA, testosterone, and pregnanediol", and on August 8, 2013, was sanctioned by the International Weightlifting Federation.[7] and the United States Anti-Doping Agency, which cited the discovery as "the presence of an exogenous androgenic anabolic steroid and/or its metabolites", removing her from competition for two years.[8]

Robles disputed the doping accusation, asserting that treatment for Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) using Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) was advised by her physician.

> "My doctor and I worked together to try different treatment options for my PCOS, as a preventative measure. Because my progesterone and DHEA levels are naturally quite low because of PCOS, my doctor felt that supplementing with DHEA would help balance things out in my system. We did not feel that bringing my DHEA to a normal level would be contradictory to my stance as a clean athlete"[9][10]

— Sarah Robles, December 12, 2013

She did not seek a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) prior.[11] Joe Micela, Robles's coach, stated that he did not approve of the DHEA use, calling it a "stupid decision", though he did not think it impacted Robles's performance. Robles's appeal of the suspension for medical reasons was denied.[10][12][13]

#### 2016 Summer Olympics

[edit]

On August 14, 2016, Robles won the bronze medal in Weightlifting at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's +75 kg with a snatch of 126 kilograms (278 lb) and a clean and jerk of 160 kilograms (353 lb) for a total of 286 kilograms (631 lb).[14] She was the first athlete from the United States to win a medal in Olympic weightlifting since the 2000 Summer Olympics.[14]

#### 2020 Summer Olympics

[edit]

Robles represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan,[15] earning bronze. Competing in the women's +87 kg event on August 2, 2021, Robles lifted 128 kilograms (282 lb) in the snatch. She then lifted 154 kilograms (340 lb) in her clean and jerk, for a total of 282 kilograms (622 lb).[1][16]

#### 2022

[edit]

She won the gold medal in the women's +87 kg event at the 2022 Pan American Weightlifting Championships held in Bogotá, Colombia.[17][18] She also won the gold medals in the snatch and clean & jerk events in this competition.[18]

#### 2023

[edit]

Robles won the silver medal in her event at the 2023 Pan American Weightlifting Championships held in Bariloche, Argentina.[19]

### Health

[edit]

Robles has a deformity in her arm known as Madelung's deformity, which results in a radius that is shorter than normal and bowed. The deformity leads to significant pain during lifts, and Robles treats the pain with wrist wraps and warming creams.[20]

Robles lives with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which typically disrupts reproductive functions and metabolism.

## Personal life

[edit]

Robles is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[21] and is of Mexican ancestry.[22]

## External links

[edit]

* SarahLiftsHeavy.com
* Official Biography Page
* NBC Olympics: "Who is ... Sarah Robles"
* NBC Olympics Biography Page
* Sarah Robles at World Athletics
* Sarah Robles at the International Weightlifting Federation
* Sarah Robles at the International Weightlifting Results Project
* Sarah Robles at IAT Database Weightlifting (in German)
* Sarah Robles at TeamUSA.org (archived)
* Sarah Robles at Olympedia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Sarah Robles Becomes First U.S. Woman to Win Two Olympic Weightlifting Medals". August 2, 2021. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021.
2. ^ Oliver, Brian (2 August 2021). "Unstoppable weightlifter Li wins again as Britain's Campbell ends 37-year medal wait". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
3. ^ a b c d e Testa, Jessica (27 June 2012). "The Strongest Woman in America Lives in Poverty". Buzzfeed. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
4. ^ Johnson, Sanda. "Meet 2012 Weightlifting Olympian Sarah Robles". Yahoo News. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
5. ^ "Sarah Robles". United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
6. ^ Shen, Aviva. "VICTORY: Olympic Weightlifter Sarah Robles Gets A Sponsor". ThinkProgress. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
7. ^ International Weightlifting Federation (August 8, 2013). "Anti-doping Sanctions". Retrieved 2 August 2021.
8. ^ "US Weightlifting Athlete, Robles, Receives Sanction for Anti-Doping Rule Violation". January 14, 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
9. ^ "Addressing the consequences of a difficult choice". Sarah Robles' Official blog. 12 December 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
10. ^ a b Steele, Allan (2 August 2021). "OLYMPICS: San Jacinto weightlifter Robles suspended for failed drug test". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
11. ^ Labrie F, Luu-The V, Bélanger A, Lin SX, Simard J, Pelletier G, Labrie C (November 2005). "Is dehydroepiandrosterone a hormone?". J. Endocrinol. 187 (2): 169–96\. doi:10.1677/joe.1.06264. PMID 16293766.
12. ^ Testa, Jessica. "Top U.S. Female Weightlifter Suspended For Doping While Treating Hormone Imbalance". BuzzFeed News.
13. ^ Micela, Joe (December 12, 2013). "Official Statement in Regards to Sarah Robles". PerformanceOne.net.
14. ^ a b Quin, Danny (August 14, 2016). "Weightlifting results: Meng Suping wins gold, USA's Sarah Robles earns bronze". NBC News. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
15. ^ Gutman, Andrew (19 May 2021). "USA Weightlifting Announces 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games Roster". Barbend. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
16. ^ "Women's +87 kg Results" (PDF). Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
17. ^ Iveson, Ali (29 July 2022). "Rogers stars for US but Colombia dominate at Pan American Weightlifting Championships". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
18. ^ a b "2022 Pan American Weightlifting Championships Results Book" (PDF). Federación Panamericana de Levantamiento de Pesas. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
19. ^ Oliver, Brian (1 April 2023). "US Olympic silver medallist beaten as Pan American Weightlifting Championships conclude". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
20. ^ Schrager, Peter (24 May 2012). "Nothing's Going to Stop Me". Fox Sports. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
21. ^ Brown, Brandon (25 July 2012). "Mormon athletes competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London". Deseret News. Archived from the original on July 27, 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
22. ^ "Rio-bound weightlifter Sarah Robles hopes to inspire Hispanics to try Olympic sports". Fox New Latino. EFE. Retrieved 16 August 2016.

* v
* t
* e

World Champions in Weightlifting – Women's Super Heavyweight (+87 kg)

* 1987:  Han Changmei (CHN)
* 1988:  Han Changmei (CHN)
* 1989:  Han Changmei (CHN)
* 1990:  Li Yajuan (CHN)
* 1991:  Li Yajuan (CHN)
* 1992:  Li Yajuan (CHN)
* 1993:  Li Yajuan (CHN)
* 1994:  Karoliina Lundahl (FIN)
* 1995:  Erika Takács (HUN)
* 1996:  Wan Ni (CHN)
* 1997:  Ma Runmei (CHN)
* 1998:  Tang Gonghong (CHN)
* 1999:  Ding Meiyuan (CHN)
* 2001:  Albina Khomich (RUS)
* 2002:  Agata Wróbel (POL)
* 2003:  Ding Meiyuan (CHN)
* 2005:  Jang Mi-ran (KOR)
* 2006:  Jang Mi-ran (KOR)
* 2007:  Jang Mi-ran (KOR)
* 2009:  Jang Mi-ran (KOR)
* 2010:  Tatiana Kashirina (RUS)
* 2011:  Zhou Lulu (CHN)
* 2013: vacant
* 2014: vacant
* 2015: vacant
* 2017:  Sarah Robles (USA)
* 2018:  Tatiana Kashirina (RUS)
* 2019:  Li Wenwen (CHN)
* 2021:  Son Young-hee (KOR)
* 2022:  Li Wenwen (CHN)
* 2023:  Park Hye-jeong (KOR)
* 2024:  Li Yan (CHN)

* +82.5 kg (1987–1992)
* +83 kg (1993–1997)
* +75 kg (1998–2015)
* +90 kg (2017)
* +87 kg (2018–)

* v
* t
* e

Pan American Champions in Weightlifting – Women's Super Heavyweight

+75 kg (1999–2015) · +87 kg (2019–)

* 1999 Cheryl Haworth (USA)
* 2003 Carmenza Delgado (COL)
* 2007 Oliba Nieve (ECU)
* 2011 Oliba Nieve (ECU)
* 2015 Yaniuska Espinosa (VEN)
* 2019 Sarah Robles (USA)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[CHN]: China
*[FIN]: Finland
*[HUN]: Hungary
*[RUS]: Russia
*[POL]: Poland
*[KOR]: South Korea
*[USA]: United States