If you’ve been following our blog for a while now, you might remember this interview we did with Olympic weightlifter and LonoLife friend Sarah Robles, back in the early days of the pandemic. It was focused on the topic of resilience – something we were all digging deep for back then.
Since we last chatted with Sarah she went on to win her third Olympic medal! She’s not just a testament to the power of resilience… She’s an inspiration to us all and reminds us that even when you don’t know exactly what you’re working towards, the best thing you can do is just keep trying your hardest. Life will take care of the rest.
The last time we talked with you, no one had any idea when the Olympics would take place. What was your first thought when you found out they were happening?
I almost couldn’t even believe it. I just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak. By the time we landed in Tokyo, I knew it was “game on”! It was a rough training cycle for me and I knew I had my work cut out for me. At the same time, I was excited and I knew I had the chance to do something big.
How did you manage to stay motivated and continue training with no signs the Olympics would actually happen?
We kept getting reassured that the Olympics would continue to go on. I just kept plugging away day after day. It was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. That’s how a lot of things go in this life though. You really have no idea how it’s going to turn out but, at least if you put in the work, you can have faith that it’ll go in your favor.
You are officially the first U.S. woman to win multiple weightlifting medals. What does that mean to you?
I’m slowly just adding to my “legacy” as my Coach says. I’m one of the best female lifters in the history of American weightlifting and it means a lot to not just me but to everyone out there that loves, supports, and looks up to me. Sometimes it feels like I’m the last one you’d expect to come out on top but, somehow it works out. I come from humble circumstances and I’m an atypical athlete and the things I’ve accomplished are definitely exciting and give me something to be proud of.
We talked about resilience in our last chat. How much did resilience play a role in achieving your medal?
High-level sports take a certain amount of “never give it up-ness” that most people can’t muster. It’s stressful. I feel trained to be resilient. It’s just part of the game at this point. You’re going to fail over and over again but, the biggest and most lasting failure is never getting back up and trying over and over.
How much LonoLife Bone Broth did you drink after all that exertion?!
Haha, that’s a great question! How does one quantify broth consumption? I will say, LonoLife has been a staple of my travel diet for years now. It really comes in handy to get in all the protein I need and I also consider it an electrolyte. It covers a lot of bases.
Now you’ve got 3 Olympic medals to your name, what’s next?
The last thing I really want to accomplish in my career is to break the American and Pan American Snatch record.
We can’t wait to see you achieve it, Sarah!
