With the recent world events, the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games has been postponed exactly one year, and will now be celebrated 23 July 2021 – 8 August 2021.
Another interview in our series introducing Queensland’s Olympic hopefuls… working towards making their dreams of representing our sport on the biggest stage of all, come true.
Ebony’s sporting background is nothing short of impressive, first finding her way into Cougars Weightlifting Club as an Australian representative in bobsledding, after many accolades in track and field in her teenage years.
I’ve been lifting for 6 years now, since 2014. I got started through my previous sport, bobsledding, after I was required to do some athletic testing at home in Australia before being eligible for team selection to compete overseas on ice. An element of that testing was some weightlifting exercises – power cleans in particular, as well as power snatch, push press, squats, and deadlifts.
I had originally came to Cougars Weightlifting Club (Miles specifically) for some help to improve my technique to push my results up for a better chance at team selection. I soon grew to love weightlifting and after going to the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014, I gave up bobsledding for good and started lifting full time. I haven’t really looked back since.
How are you involved with developing the sport of weightlifting in Queensland?
Cougars used to run a Saturday morning group session for youth lifters where I was involved in coaching young beginner athletes. Now I help as often as I can at competitions with running warm-ups and loading, as well as encouraging everyone at training.
I am always happy to help out if anyone has anything to ask me in or outside of the gym.
How have your training priorities changed in the lead up to Tokyo 2020?
My training priorities went from trying to qualify for the Pacific Games last year (at the 2019 Arafura Games), to realising we might actually have a chance of making Tokyo, if we played our cards right.
After the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa, it was just a case of taking the necessary steps to keep qualifying for the next event on the long list of qualifiers for Tokyo 2020. It has been a big year of competitions and travelling overseas for me, so balancing my training loads with work, getting enough recovery and looking after myself were imperative.
Who are your supporters and sponsors who have helped on your Olympic Games journey?
I have no official sponsors but a big support network, from my coach Miles Wydall, to the people I train with day in day out, my partner and family, and a long list of sports practitioners that help keep my nutrition, physio, massage and mental health in check.
I have been lucky enough to receive a scholarship through the Qld Academy of Sport which has helped out hugely along the way. The things we put ourselves through in training and in competition cannot be achieved on our own and I’m very thankful for any support I can get.
Tell us about your life outside the gym.
I work full-time at a small engineering firm doing mechanical drafting – basically 3D models of big production line machinery. I am very fortunate to have very flexible working conditions and a workplace who are very supportive of what I am trying to achieve in weightlifting.
I love getting outdoors in nature, scuba diving and travelling, and taking our 5 dogs for walks in the forest behind our house. I also have 2 pet pythons, and pretty much love animals more than people.
The one thing in my life that has always been constant is sport. At the age of 8 I started track and field, and became a national champion and international level sprinter and sprint hurdler in my teenage years. I gave it away at the age of 21 after being recruited for the Australian bobsledding team. I competed on the team for 4 years, representing Australia at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, and began weightlifting upon my return.
What would it mean to you to make the 2020 Australian Olympic Team?
If you’d have asked me when I was a kid what I thought I’d make it to the Olympics for, it sure would not have been weightlifting! But I now wouldn’t have it any other way. To represent your country in any way is pretty special, but the Olympics is the pinnacle. It would honestly be a lifetime dream come true!
Ebony is in contention for the Continental – Oceana spot in the F71 category.
The Tokyo Summer Olympic Games will now be held 23 July 2021 – 8 August 2021.
