ROGERS Martha Ann

General
TOKYO WEIGHT GAIN
She won her first medals at the world championships in 2017 in the 69kg category. She competed in the 71kg class at the next two editions of the tournament, but she is lifting at 87kg at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo following the reorganisation of the Olympic weight categories in 2018. "I'm moving up three weight classes for the Olympics, technically the 87kg category but I just have to weigh over 81.01kg. It's about 10 to 12 kilos from where I would normally weigh so I'm eating anywhere from four to five thousand calories a day. I've been in the middle and had to cut down to make weight. [But in] recent years I've been going up the whole time - that's just as much work as you'll get to the end of the day and you've already eaten so much food and you have to eat more or you'll wake up lighter." (olympicchannel.com, 01 Aug 2020)

INSPIRATIONAL FATHER
Her father passed away from colon cancer in 2001 and she credits him as the primary inspiration in her career. At age 18 she was given a letter her father wrote to her prior to his passing that included his belief that she could compete at the Olympic Games. She has a tattoo on the left side of her torso that reads 'I will be with you always', with the colon cancer awareness logo and the words 'I love you dad' next to it. "Aside from being blessed with athletic genes, watching his strength through his battle with cancer at such a young age has given me an example of what true strength is. I got the tattoo as a constant reminder that he is with me. And that taking the easy way out is never the right decision. My dad was the first to believe in my Olympic dreams. He didn't know what sport, nor did I, but he knew what I was capable of at the age of six. He knew that I could achieve greatness, and I want to honour everything he believed in. I am very intrinsically motivated, but on the rough days, it is a constant reminder that I'm not done, I have not 'arrived', there is still work to be done." (nbcolympics.com, 07 May 2016; bleacherreport.com, 27 Apr 2016; floelite.com, 27 Oct 2015)

OLYMPIC CHANGE
She was involved in gymnastics, cheerleading, and CrossFit before switching to weightlifting because it provided her the most likely path to competing at the Olympic Games. "For as long as I can remember I wanted to be an Olympian in gymnastics. But towards the end of elementary school I got tall fast, and I was doubting if that was a realistic goal. And cheerleading isn't an Olympic sport so I didn't know what else to do. But getting involved in weightlifting gave me a chance to pursue that and try to go as far as I can." (xendurance.com, 02 Mar 2018)