Christine Girard

Christine Girard

Christine Girard, 2011 WWC
Personal information
Nationality	Canadian
Born	(1985-01-03) 3 January 1985 Elliott Lake, Ontario
Residence	White Rock, British Columbia[1]
Height	1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight	63 kg (139 lb)
Sport
Sport	Weightlifting
Medal record Women's Weightlifting Competitor for  Canada Olympic Games Bronze 2012 London – 63 kg Commonwealth Games Gold 2010 Delhi – 69 kg Silver 2006 Melbourne – 63 kg Bronze 2002 Manchester – 63 kg Pan American Games Gold 2011 Guadalajara – 63 kg Silver 2007 Rio de Janeiro – 63 kg
Updated on July 2012.

Christine Girard (born January 3, 1985^[2] in Elliot Lake, Ontario) is a Canadian weightlifter from White Rock, British Columbia.^[3] She competes in the 63 kg division. Girard was the first Canadian female to win a medal in weightlifting when she won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics. She is also the reigning Commonwealth Games and Pan American Games champion in her weight class and has won multiple medals in each of those competitions. She holds the Commonwealth games record and the Pan-American Games record in the Clean and Jerk.

Career

Weightlifting became a passion for Girard and her three sisters when they moved to Quebec. She began training early and entered her first provincial competition when she was 12.^[3] Girard became a member of the national team in 2001 at the age of 16 when she competed in Greece. In 2002, she won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games which she improved upon in 2006 with a silver. At the 2006 University World Championships she won the bronze medal.^[2] She next won a silver at the 2007 Pan American Games. Girard then finished 8th at the 2007 World Weightlifting Championships with a total of 221 kg.^[2] Girard then entered the 2008 Summer Olympics, she improved upon this by finishing fourth, with a total of 228 kg and 3 kg away from a medal.^[2]

Girard built upon these achievements by finally winning a crown as champion when she won the gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and completed her Commonwealth Games medal collection. En route to winning her gold Girard set a Commonwealth Games record in the snatch at 105 kg, in the clean and jerk she added an additional 130 kg for a total of 235 kg which were also Commonwealth records.^[4] Girard next conquered the 2011 Pan American Games when she won the gold in her weight class in Gaudalajara.^[5]

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Girard participated in the women's 63 kg. She finished fourth in the snatch portion, then second in the clean and jerk, lifting 133 kg. Her total of 236 kg won her the bronze medal.^[6][7] She is the first Canadian woman, and third Canadian overall, to win a medal in weightlifting.^[8] Girard said that winning the Olympic medal was one of her top two best moments in life, "It is very hard to describe how I feel. Four years ago in Beijing I came fourth, and since then I have spent the past four years training through injuries and various changes in my life to get to this moment. All I have been thinking about is getting on the podium. Now I have reached it. It feels good. I should say my wedding comes close, but this is completely different.’’^[9]

Coaching

Girard began coaching other athletes in Weightlifting after her move to BC while she was preparing for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Upon her return from the Olympic Games, Girard began coaching in a greater capacity. She started her own weightlifting club - the Kilophile Weightlifting Club - and offers coaching services to other fitness centres notably in Crossfit Gyms.

Personal

Girard was born in Elliot Lake, Ontario but moved with her family to Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec in 1992 when she was 7.^[3] She then moved to British Columbia in January 2010.^[3] Weightlifting was a family affair for Girard and her family continues to hold provincial and local roles for the sport in Quebec.^[3]

Notes and references

External links

• Personal Website