Canada in Tokyo – Rachel Leblanc-Bazinet – Weightlifting

Weightlifting is one of the more controversial sports in the world, and the Olympic competition in Tokyo 2020 is no exception.

Over 20 National Olympic Committees are under sanctions in some capacity for historic doping offenses, with at least four of them having complete bans from the Games.

Canada’s Rachel Leblanc-Bazinet will compete in the 55kg class in Japan, and she is happy that her country is clean.

“Canada is not into that,” Leblanc-Bazinet said prior to the start of the 2020 Olympics. “Our federation is extremely clean and we get tested all the time.

“For us, it’s not about doping or anything, it’s about being the best we can be. I am super proud to beat those athletes who aren’t clean.”

Leblanc-Bazinet acts as the Canadian Weightlifting Federation’s athlete representative and is proud to undertake that role.

“It is (about) being a role model for the upcoming generation,” Leblanc-Bazinet said. “(I want to) show them that wherever you grew up you can always achieve more.

“I want people to know they can come up to me if they have concerns.”

The 32-year-old is both that role model and a fierce competitor, living life by the motto ‘never settle for mediocrity.’

“For young girls, it’s really hard to fit into society with all the pressure of looking a certain way, doing certain things,” Leblanc-Bazinet said. “Rising above those people who tell you what to do and to show that you are stronger than them and you will stand for your values. I never wanted to settle.”

Leblanc-Bazinet loves the individual nature of weightlifting and seizing the opportunity to prove her worth as an athlete.

“I love to prove to myself that I can do better. The number is the number and there is no way to argue that,” she said.

Despite that, teamwork is something that is key to the Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. product and one unique thing that Leblanc-Bazinet will have is sharing the experience with training partner Tali Darsigny.

“Qualifying is one thing but qualifying as a team in one of the most individual sport is quite an accomplishment,” Leblanc-Bazinet said.

Darisgny is also from Saint-Hyacinthe. The pair train, compete and travel together and even have the same coach, Darsigny’s father Yvan.

Given the challenges in the last 18 months, Leblanc-Bazinet now feels that she and the five-strong team are ready and raring to go in Japan.

“If you asked two months ago I would say I am not ready at all. I suffered an injury during the winter … but I was ready to put the work in and now I am more than ready to compete,” she said.

“I think we will see some phenomenal performances. Maude Charron in the 64 kilo has a good chance at the podium, Boady Santavy has a chance of breaking a world record in the snatch.”

Leblanc-Bazinet was not always a weightlifter, in fact, she is a relative newcomer to the sport, starting in 2016 after stints in gymnastics, hockey and CrossFit growing up.

And if the name Leblanc-Bazinet is familiar when you think of CrossFit, her sister Camille was CrossFit Games champion in 2014.

“All the family is into sports,” Leblanc-Bazinet said. “It’s a really big thing for my parents but they never pressured us to do anything.”

Leblanc-Bazinet will be in action in the 55kg class on July 26 at the Tokyo International Forum

Listen to the full interview – https://iono.fm/e/1077285