The new Olympic qualification process places weightlifters in different situations in view of the Paris Games. Maude Charron is one of the athletes in good shape, even if an injury casts doubt on her participation in the next world championships.
This context would have been much more stressful in the past.
Olympic champion at 64 kg in Tokyo, Maude Charron now lifts at 59 kg after seeing her category abolished from the Paris program. She started the Olympic cycle by winning bronze at the 2022 World Championships in Bogota.
In preparation for the Tokyo Games, a score based on the top four performances determined the ranking of the qualification process. From now on, only one result is counted. The ten best athletes in each category, with a maximum of one representative per country, will be selected for Paris. In case of a tie, the first to register the result will have priority.
Maude Charron’s training program has therefore been modified accordingly.
“I don’t have to challenge myself every two months anymore. It’s easier to modulate my training, target important competitions and focus on them, “says the Quebecer in an interview with Sportcom.
That being said, starting at No. 3 in the world has put Charron in a favorable position. Although she has since slipped to fifth place, six opponents will need to pass her to knock her out of the top 10, including one who will need to improve her sum by at least 15kg. A considerable challenge.
It should also be noted that the Rimouskoise raised her bars despite a knee injury in Bogota. She plans to improve her charges in the snatch and clean and jerk soon.
“There is nothing impossible in weightlifting, but it is a big step. My total is high enough to last until the Olympics. But the ultimate goal is to improve it. I was planning to make another big total at the next worlds, but my situation is changing from day to day. »
Unfortunately, after three months of rehabilitation and a pain-free spring, his knee injury returned in mid-June. A tear in the tendon of the quadriceps less severe than last winter, but which still limits Charron to training.
The good news is that this qualification process allows him to avoid taking risks. She received injections of hyaluronic acid to speed healing and underwent various treatments. All without worrying about losing your place for Paris.
“I can give myself time for a good rehab. Just that, mentally, there’s less pressure and it’s reassuring,” she says.
The majority of athletes are more in a hurry and will have to go all out within a year. In this context, nervousness is growing. It only takes one kilogram to be surpassed and see your Olympic dream fly away. Especially since the discipline has gone from seven to five categories, comprising 12 athletes each instead of 14.
Kristel Ngarlem preferred the previous method, the one that required a certain consistency and which allowed her to qualify for Tokyo.
“I was not in a situation where I could afford not to give 100%”, shares the Montrealer, who was not able to qualify for the World Championships, a mandatory step to hope qualify for the Olympics.
She wanted to stand out at every opportunity and chip away at a few spots in the 81kg standings. Unlike Maude Charron, Ngarlem was not the only Canadian to fight for a place in the top 10 in her category. She had to keep an eye on her compatriots Maya Celeste Laylor and Rosalie Dumas. An additional strategic aspect where you have to take into account the plan of the other weightlifters.
“It all depends on the situation you are in. If you’re on the verge of qualifying, you want to do better in every competition and hope the top 10 doesn’t change. Even with a good total, there is nothing certain. Until the last second, people can release something amazing, so it puts more pressure. »
Alex Bellemarre is at the heart of the fight for an Olympic qualification at 89 kg. In his case, he was delighted at the announcement of this new way of doing things.
“When I started qualifying for Tokyo at the end of 2018, I was just over 20 and I wasn’t necessarily ready,” he said. In the end, the guy who went to the Games, Arley Mendez, I was doing better than him, but he had more points early in the cycle. I couldn’t catch him. »
Bellemarre believes that history would have repeated itself without the changes that were made. Anyone who is aiming for a first Olympic participation is currently preparing for the World Championships and plans to improve his cumulative. With a change of category, he was able to gain weight and gain muscle mass.
“I can put a lot of volume into training and I’m constantly improving. I know that I don’t have to be in shape for every competition, but I always attack them by telling myself that this is the one that will allow me to climb into the top 10. I have not reached my plateau , I still have room and I will be able to pick up the pounds. It gives me confidence! »
Doping has shadowed weightlifting for several years, so much so that it has been removed from the 2028 program. The qualification process does not help to improve the image of the sport, while many fear that opponents take advantage of this to go under the radar. The goal was however the opposite by reducing and targeting qualifying competitions.
“It opens the door a bit for those who want to hide so as not to get up and it raises ethical doubts. The World Cups and the Qatar World Cup this year are mandatory, so that limits their game, but there is still a way to take a substance and hide for a certain amount of time,” believes Maude Charron, while noting that the old process “wasn’t perfect either”.
Alex Bellemarre shares this opinion regarding suspicions of doping.
“It’s a double-edged sword. There are countries that do not control internally or have questionable procedures, to use politically correct terms. Someone extremely strong can stand out in Bogota and do next to nothing until the Games. It’s weird to have gone back to this system that could protect cheaters,” he concludes.
Weightlifters must nevertheless present themselves to a minimum of events in order to be eligible and make themselves available for anti-doping tests. No need to participate, just be present and weigh in. Like many athletes, Charron opted for this strategy at the Havana Grand Prix in June.
“Several of us played that card. I have been tested and it counts as an entry. We see it more as a camp, but mentally, it bothered me not to participate and to see others preparing. »
The World Championships will be presented from September 2 to 17 in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia.
