Olivia Reeves' Sensational Climb to Paris 2024

From the USA's second-ranked 71, all the way to the woman who scared off the most dominant nation in the sport and became the world number one. Very few people could have predicted Olivia's rise. Yes, she was talented, but her trajectory has been the steepest in the sport. In this video, we'll take a closer look at Olivia Reeves' journey from 2022 to the 2024 Olympic Games. This is Olivia Reeves' climb to the top. The 2022 World Championships. A 106kg snatch was enough for 9th. The last time I saw her at an international was at the last World Championship. She wasn't able to make that, and she just makes it now with so much better technique. It looks incredibly easy. But it was her 139kg bronze medal clean and jerk. Now that raised a few eyebrows, particularly at 19 years old. Incredible leg strength. Wow. So much speed in the jerk. The fact that she's able to move over to the side like that and remain so solid, it just doesn't make any sense. It's absolutely amazing. Having improved once more a few months later at the Pan American Championships 2023, she headed to the World Championships, her third at a senior level. Her training looked strong, but I'm not sure anyone could have predicted what would happen. The question really is, where does Reeves' power end? First and second snatches were so strong. We'll find out. Well, it's not at 111kg, that's for sure, Max. That is incredible. What a performance. We may be seeing... We might see a reversal of the two US lifters here. 111kg for a bronze in the snatch, allowing the two world record holders, Angie De Gomes and Lao Wei Fang, to battle it out ahead of her. Oh my word. And again, just like with Angie De Gomes, it was the best of all three. Too far to catch, surely? Well, yes and no. Lao Wei Fang, the world number one, she was too strong in the clean and jerk. For now. Lao Wei Fang with a perfect jerk. And finally, the tiniest flicker of a smile. But Angie was unbeatable. A junior world record would do it. Can she get up with it? Look at the leg strength. Oh my word. How did she... It was forward and she held on to it. She's so strong. Unbeatable, Olivia Reeves. Six for six performance. Junior world record. Again, at the Pan Am Games, this time as a very light 81kg lifter, she set more records, both personal and national. But it wasn't until the Qatar Cup where Olivia Reeves faced her greatest challenge yet. Not just Lao Wei Fang, the world number one from China, but also Song Huk Yang from North Korea, whose return to the sport months earlier had shocked the Chinese world number one, outlifting her. At this point, Olivia was on an 18-made lift streak in international competitions and was looking for another straight six to make it 24. Every competition she entered, she improved at. This was no exception. In fact, this was the first competition that truly raised some eyebrows. Not only did it scare off domestic competition, but even China, whose athlete Lao Wei Fang felt like a lock for Paris, was starting to get itchy feet. A 115kg snatch and a 147kg clean and jerk, both enormous lifts, within striking range of world records even. Due to political reasons, Olivia Reeves, along with Team USA, flew to Bulgaria to compete at the 2024 European Championships. Having now solidified herself as the best in the world behind China and North Korea, she made easy work of the Europeans. The ex-European champion, ex-world record holder from Romania, it's Laura Donatoma. Not only did she defeat the ex-snatch world record holder. Oh, nice save. 115kg for Olivia Reeves. Equals her best snatch in competition. Wow. You know, she shows her incredible strength with that save. A bar moving backward like that on almost anybody else, but she just quickly plants her back foot and stops it. She also took a big attempt at 148kg. Huge clean. Very strong clean. Can she get it behind her head? Oh, my word. It's right there. Not quite. So strong. She needs the added pressure. And suddenly she just turns it on again. Wildly strong. With one competition remaining, Olivia had one job. Scare Team China away from sending their world number one, Lau Guifang, to the Olympic Games. To say she achieved that would be an understatement. It was the return of a 6-6 performance. Olivia Reeves. Olivia Reeves smoked a 118kg personal best snatch. Now just 3kg under the world record. Oh, my word. It's the best of all three. It's the best snatch from any American ever. That's amazing. That snatch is indicative of world record abilities. I mean, no doubt Olivia Reeves is capable of world records. She has never made that in training or competition. And it's 3kg shy of the world record. It's absolutely sensational. And technically so sharp. She's getting better and better. And we asked her what she's been focusing on, and she said to us, basically staying upright in the jerk, but then staying over the bar in the snatches and in the clean. Oh, she's overpulled it. Can she return it? Oh, wow. That looks heavy. In the clean and jerk, having made it clear to Team China in North Korea that she wasn't here just to partake. She was here to take over. She went for one of the most historic lifts in USA weightlifting history. A 150kg clean and jerk. Can she get up with it? She just pushes through. Sticks the jerk. Oh, my goodness. Six for six, Olivia Reeves. I cannot believe that she's made that. Hammers. Six for six. 181.50. 268 total. Just obliterating almost everyone. Two lifters left in this session. Can they pass that 268 total? That is massive. I mean, she's forcing Lao Gui Fang to go for 154kg, a weight she's never made. It's more than what was her own world record. I don't think that any, I don't think that either of these women, that Chen or Song has ever experienced this kind of pressure. Looking demoralized, lost, and ashamed, Team China and North Korea crumbled. She might make this. Unbelievable. Can she? She can't hold it. She can't do it. And we thought that Olivia had to put pressure on Lao Gui Fang, but she hasn't. She just beat her. No, she can't. It's over. And Olivia Reeves has just won the World Cup. She is currently the best 71 in the world. Olivia Reeves was champion. Scared away from the Olympics, Reeves has become the world leader and a favorite for gold. Make sure you subscribe for more.