This week on the A-list I talk with a hometown athlete who knows what it feels like to be the world's best To look in the crow and see my parents, my family, other, lifter who had come to see me and watch who or like, wouldn't be in Paris.

But to watch my session was absolutely.

And see my teammates who were there, who didn't exactly have the days they were wanting but were there to support me, was it was a lot, it meant a lot.

Do you remember when you found Join me as I sit down with weightlifter and Olympic gold medalist Olivia Reeves.

Coming up next on the A-list.

If you live in the Chattanooga area, you're probably familiar with Olivia Reeves, and you may have joined the celebration of this hometown hero after she brought home the gold at the Summer Olympics in Paris last year.

From a young age, she's been making her mark in the world of competitive weightlifting.

And in 2024, she earned both the world championship title and the Olympic gol in the same year, the first U.S. weightlifter in 66 years to do so.

I had the chance to spend time with Olivia at her home gym right here in Chattanooga, where she has worked to achieve remarkable feats with her coach, Steve Fauer.

Well Olivia, welcome to the A-list.

Thank you for having me.

Well, thank you for having us in the place where it all happens, right?

The room where it happens.

I dare I say that this is awesome.

So you've been training here for how long?

In this location.

About five years.

Okay.

Um, training all together with my coach.

It'll be ten years in September.

Well, before we go back t the beginning of your journey, let me first say congratulations.

Thank you.

I mean what an epic, epic accomplishment.

I'm sitting next to a gold medal winner.

Yeah.

That's that's like, not a small thing.

Happens all the time.

It's a lot of gold medal winners.

All right.

So let's go back to the beginning.

You started off doing CrossFit at your parents gym.

Yes.

And weightlifting was really something the side gig wise, just to get you stronger for CrossFit.

So what happened?

Well, to be honest, I don't like running, and that's, like, kind of a part of CrossFit.

I really only liked the weightlifting part, and doing, like practicing a skill during class.

So, my parents knew Steve, who's been in Chattanooga forever and said you want to go train over here?

And I said, all right.

And I did a national competition a couple months in, I then got invited to an Olympic training center camp.

And since then it's been it's been my sport.

And you were how old whe you started training with Steve?

12, 12 years old.

Did you know anybody that was doing this?

That was your age?

No.

No, that's why after the training camp, I was getting to meet other people who were like minded, same age, weight class and have similar goals of maybe an Olympics, but at least competing, in weightlifting and not soccer or cross-country or something like that.

Yeah.

When did you know that you weren't just strong?

You were really strong because there's a difference.

I forget Sometimes.

I have to be reminded.

but I probably when I started setting American records, uh, when my back squat got pretty high.

And then people as and they're like, wait a minute.

Like, are you sure?

I'm.

Yeah.

For real.

All the way down to all the way down below.

Parallel.

It's I mean, we we discussed this before, but I've watched so many videos of you, I cheered you on during the Olympics.

We all did, but it looks surreal.

It looks like a magic trick.

It doesn't look like a human can actually do what you do.

Well, the trick is to make it look effortless.

That's like.

That's really the trick is to lift the bar, as efficiently as you can, and then it looks easy, but it's actually very heavy.

So 2024 was a really big year for you.

You not only set a world record.

Olympic record.

Olympic record.

But you also won a gold medal for the first time.

So 24 years since USA had won one.

Yes.

However when Tara not who won it into 2000 she actually got a silver medal.

But then the athlete Bulgaria I believe, or Belarus won the gold tested positive.

So she ended up with a gold medal but didn't have a moment on the platform to hear the national anthem or have that recognition initially.

So you were the first 1 in 64 years someone to stand on the podium and actually hear the national anthem?

Yeah.

What was that moment like?

So surreal.

To look in the crow and see my parents, my family, other, lifter who had come to see me and watch who or like, wouldn't be in Paris.

But to watch my session was absolutely.

And see my teammates who were there, who didn't exactly have the days they were wanting but were there to support me, was it was a lot, it meant a lot.

Do you remember when you found out that you would be going to the Paris Olympics?

Yes.

It was kind of an odd, situation because the qualifiers ended and the rankings weren't going to change, but they couldn't announce it for a month later until all the other countries had submitted their teams essentially.

So it wasn't just like a this is it.

We're going to the Olympics, it was like.

We knew this We knew it was going to happen.

We know who's going to be on the team.

We've actually known for months.

But then there was an actual announcement.

So which I don't know, I think I like the way it happened.

It wasn't just a surprise, was it, to say you were prepared?

You know, it was like because of these procedures and all of this, like, you know, who's qualified, you know, was going.

Was that a goal when you first started competing?

Not at all.

Why, why?

My goal was simply to get better, be stronger, be a better athlete and lift more weight.

And that's still kind of my goal.

It just so happens that the weight I'm lifting, it's like world records or whatever.

So it was neve I never started out like that.

I thin it's a really huge goal to have.

If someone were to come in here and be like, I'm going to go to the Olympics, it's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, you gotta start somewhere first.

And even you asked my coach Steve, walking in here at 12 like he had no idea this is what was going to happen.

It's not like I had some super speed or strength.

Like it took so many year to build up and actually kind of come together.

Was there a moment, though, when you had won so many national and world championships that Steve looked at you and said, honey, you're going to the Olympics?

I mean, this is that's the next natural, logical step.

Yeah, we talked about it and it's crazy how wrapped up you get in just one more kilo and, you know, not 119.

You want 120 snatch, you know, then to take a step back, be like, okay, but how many women in America are snatching?

Like how many women in the world are snatching this?

Right.

And we're trying to get better.

But like big picture, we'r doing we're doing pretty good.

Pretty goo is definitely an understatement.

Olivia's focus over the years on adding just one more kilo made her a top competito in professional weightlifting.

Her record breaking victories at the 2024 IWF Weightlifting World Cup earned her three gold medals.

Setting the stage for her Olympic debut in Paris.

all right.

I have to hear about the Olympics and not just the competition.

I want to hear about that too.

But, you know, the chocolate muffins and the beds?

Let me guess?

all that.

And let's not forget Snoop Dogg and Snoop Dogg.

Yes.

I mean, okay, so you get there.

Did you have any expectation of what that time would be like?

Not really, other than going to a Pan American Games so similar games event where there's a bunch of sports, not just weightlifting, but the scale and magnitude of the Olympic Games was, immeasurable from anything I had attended before.

Yeah.

Just the sheer amount of athletes who are there who are Olympians and like two time, three time or four time Olympians from other sports.

The village is little city within a city, and there are so many people everywhere else all the time.

But it was really cool to be abl to kind of live in that bubble.

Yeah.

And be aroun other athletes from other sports and get to learn about their sports and go and watch three on three basketball or, what else to watch volleyball under the Eiffel Tower, stuff like that.

Getting to ride th like little subway everywhere.

That was that was a learning curve.

But a lot of fun.

Because you grew up in Chattanooga, I don't I want people to make sure they know that because, I mean, we were rooting for you before you even got there.

Of course, that only swelled while you were there.

And now there is no way that we can ever mention your name without saying Olivia Reeves from Chattanooga to make sure we we like, own that honor.

Yeah.

I was born in Lexington, Kentucky.

My family moved here in 2007.

I lived in Ooltewah, I lived in Hixson and Soddy area.

I now live in North Shore.

I went to Saint Jude kindergarten through eighth grade.

Notre Dame, all throughout high school, did a year in college at UAB, but graduated from UTC.

It's amazing.

So tell me about the weight pun intended of of the responsibility that you have now with wha when it comes to weight lifting, like the training.

Yeah.

Now you're in the public eye.

Now you're seen as really a role model for other young girls or women who never thought that that could be the lane that they follow.

What has that been like for you?

It's been, it's been interesting.

I appreciate the role, and appreciate the responsibility.

It wasn't something I signed up to do or really anticipated.

However, it's not really something you get to choose, when you accomplish something and people are watching.

But I appreciate it.

And I hope to live up to something that I would want to see.

When I was growing up in weightlifting, and encourage other women and other people to get involved in the sport.

It's fun.

It doesn't have to be super serious.

You know, not everybody who walks in here is going to go to the Olympics, but this can still build character and build body movement, awareness for whatever you're looking to accomplish.

I also think, look, I'm a woman at a certain age.

And so I've been trying to do strength training and I have to reconcile.

I think, as a lot of women do, that because I want to be leaner and stronger.

Right?

The scale goes up, right.

The more muscle I gain the scale, the scale goes up.

And that I don't you know I think it's probably or I know society telling me that's not a good thing just because you think you're getting stronger.

is that something you've also had to battle as you're going down that lane of being the best in your sport?

And also maybe what society is telling you how you look?

For sure.

For me, it's focusing more on what my body can do and less of what it looks like in terms of I can do some really cool things, whether I'm up a weight class or down a weight class.

I'm not worried about esthetics.

That's not that's my sport.

As much as it looks cool and I appreciate having, people like Ilona Maher who are spreading that message, and I love it.

But just accepting that it's more it' less about less about esthetics.

And the number on the scale for me can be difficult because this is a weight class sport.

Like I have to weigh a certain amount at a certain point, and I hav to do things to manipulate that.

I think in weightlifting it, cutting weight, it's less extreme as wrestling or other sports.

But it still can be glorified in a way.

So it's not somethin that people really want to talk about or acknowledge, because I don't want athletes younge or whatever generation to see.

Oh, my favorite lifter made an international team and she had to cut all this weight like so.

I must have to I must have to go down a weight class in order to be better.

And I don't think that's a narrative that should be, encouraged or spread.

What do you want young girls to hear?

To, to be, to be an elite athlete can loo like a lot of different things.

And there's no one ideal female body type for that.

I think that's that' a great message for any of us.

Right?

Yeah.

All right I have to go back to Snoop Dogg.

So you're at the Olympics?

Were there certain stars?

Were there certain Olympian that you were just dying to see.

I dont know about dying to see?

It was really cool to just be in the dining hall at, the high performance center for team USA.

And you turn around and like, there's Sha'carri Richardson eating her lunch, too, because we shared a training facility, like with track and field rugby, basketball, like a couple other sports.

So like, theres sha'carri.

And then you turn around, there's Ilona Maher, and she's, like, filming a lipstick video, and then you'r just waiting for her to be done.

It's like, hi can we take a picture with you and see of all these other people.

And then the opening ceremony and seeing like, lebron James and Coco Gauff and all this was it's cool to just like look appreciate you're like, wow, okay.

We're all breathing in the same area.

We're all Olympians here.

I think Ilona was the only one to ask for a picture with, but like, everybody's there doing their own sport.

You don't really want to intrude, but it was really cool to see everybody.

And then Snoop Dogg came in and he wanted to learn.

I think you requested judo.

Three on three basketball, run his hundred meter sprint, maybe breakdancing.

Also, and and weightlifting.

So he requested he.

Requested the sport?

Yes.

He requested to learn.

And because they were doing some sort of segment on whatever it was.

So he came in and I, I got to be the demonstrator for snatch and maybe clean and jerk.

And we broke it down and like 15 minutes, just kind of a crash course of what to do.

And it was really cool because, you know, he's not really good at it.

But he's okay because he's like 53.

So he did good enough.

But he's a really, really cool guy.

Olivia' first place victory was historic for team USA, who had not won an Olympic gold medal in weightlifting in 24 years.

But through all her remarkable accomplishments and her time hanging ou with Snoop Dogg, Olivia remained true to herself and devoted to the sport she loves.

So what has changed since the Olympics for you?

Not much, other than I get recognized when I'm at the grocery store and on a hike, and.

Like, sometimes I get free.

Stuff, so that's fun.

But really, training.

Is the same.

Yeah.

I just have higher goals now.

Yeah.

And speaking of training, I want to understand your routine.

Okay.

Has that been consistent since you were 12?

Yeah.

How many days a week do you workout?

Four times a week.

But leading up to competition to kind of lessen the volume.

I go down to three.

So like this week is three and next week is three because I compete the week after.

But typically four: Monday.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, Every day is.

A squat day.

So sometimes a lifting like for me a workout is a snatch, clean and jerk and a squat.

But the variatio what we're doing, the reps, the.

Sets is all all different.

But For some weightlifters you do like a double day.

So like, maybe squat in the morning.

And then you snatch clean jerk in the evening.

Like it really depends.

On.

Like how far you out from you are.

From competition.

Okay.

But is your routine typical o most weightlifting routines or.

Yes, it's.

Typical for me and typical for Steve.

But I wouldn't say I.

Think more people are starting to do 4 to 5 days a week instead of doing.

Like a 6 to 9 session.

So that means like a bunch o double days and splitting it up.

Because.

If you're you.

Have more time in between sessions.

You're abl to recover a little bit faster and you can go heavier more often.

So you don't have to kind of.

Like dig a hole of volume, then you can't hit 90%.

And now it takes two weeks to get you.

Back up to 100% for competition, if that makes sense.

Was there a time when, like, you didn't, like, lift or you dropped it or something happened and like, an injury.

Yeah.

Or even got an injury.

No.

Other than, like I've got a little tendinitis in my knee, but that's to be expected.

And it only hurts sometimes.

But.

So you never hurt yourself?

No, because again, it looks like you're going to hurt yourself every time.

So okay, let's start with the shoes.

So these are different than obviously.

Yeah, I wear to work out.

Yeah.

So they're.

They just.

Have a higher heel s that when you for two reasons.

One, when you squat, your foot isn't absorbed into like a running shoe.

For two, when.

You jump, a lot of times people want to jump on their toes and jump up, but we want to jump more flat footed.

So this gives you a.

Better base for when you jump.

On a lift so that you can kind of hear that on the ground.

You don't want to hear like this.

That's not a good one for like a want to hear a stomp.

that means you're jumping with the whole foot.

I mean, I could go on forever.

But because when you're snatching or clean and jerk you're using the bar, you only have.

This much.

Wiggle room between your foot, whereas.

Because if the bar goes out here, well, now your whole you're pulling everything forward, you're off balance.

Or if you're back here, so you.

Want the weight.

The bar to really move in between.

Like this.

Much of the foot, that's all.

The grace you.

Have because, well, I work out, but also I know the Cha-Cha slide.

Oh, there's a lot of stomping.

Well, I don't so left.

Foot less stomp.

Okay.

Right foot, like, you know.

Hey, you just got to do it, like, the same time, okay?

Show me, show me how it works with, like, a real bar.

So I walk.

Over here and I.

Grab this bar.

Because this one's mine.

That's your personal bar?

Yes.

How does the bar Itself weigh?

This one is.

15 kilos.

Which is about 33, 35.

Pounds, which is a typical.

Women's bar weight.

We have a mix of different brands and stuff.

This is my favorite at the moment because this is ZKC and they, they outfitted the Olympics.

So I got that bar for the Olympics.

And Spending time with Olivia.

It's clear that she i a formidable force in the gym.

So, of course, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see just a glimpse of what she can do.

Are you about to run out of room?

No.

I mean, you just got to mix and match the colors.

Really?

You just have to be strategic with.

Like, the.

Thickness of what you're using.

But that's just.

An Olivia.

Problem.

That's not a normal problem.

What do you typically just work out with?

It it really depends.

Like.

Can we see you do one?

Sure.

Yeah.

Yeah, I.

Would usually start with, with, yellow.

So this is 45 kilos.

And you almost pick one up to show people that like, okay, okay, okay.

So it's about that.

No.

Yeah.

I thought I was going to be like.

No, that would be like the 25.

Right?

Yeah.

Okay.

I'm not saying it's not heavy.

but this, like I don't do a whole lot of warm up.

You just start like, this is my usual.

I just walk it and then.

And then I do a snatch.

Sorry.

Another thing.

You don't clamp them on a lot of, like.

Well, you know that, I think.

Yeah.

People do.

Yeah.

For safety, we're clamping them on it.

Well, if I'm going to d a set.

Of like.

Five then yes.

But I'm just going to do like 1 or 2.

Add more weight.

So like clipping i is I'm going to add more weight.

So why would I clip it at the moment.

But I.

Do like I do have.

Clips for when I'm actually going to do like.

A working.

Set, if that makes sense.

What are you going to do right now?

What this is, is this I'm goin to do a snatch and I'll do one.

I'll do a hang power and then a snatch from the floor.

Okay.

That's it.

Okay.

That's all.

That's it.

That's just that's all.

Do you need me to watch you, like to make sure you're okay?

No, I'll.

know.

So, like, that's all I really want to.

Do with that weight.

I do more until Steve will tell me.

Like today we're doing 80% for five.

Okay, so I know my 80%, and I'l put that on the bar and do it.

But it's my job to get myself there.

And that was so easy for you.

Yeah.

So this is what that this is 45 kilos.

My best is 123.

So I like this is just this is baby weight.

Yeah.

I'm just calibrating here.

So that's it.

This is like PBS, Like show Off baby weight.

This is.

Yeah.

Photo shoot.

Whatever.

I can do this all day.

Watching Olivia warm up is pretty impressive.

And it's clearly just scratching the surface of what she's capable of.

From her home gym in Chattanooga to competitions around the world and the Olympic Games, Olivia has navigated her fair share of high pressure situations.

But her experience and coaching has taught her how to stay focused on the goal at hand.

I would imagine that.

I mean, the sport in general, but especially when you're at the Olympics, is not just a physical challenge, but there's a mental game.

Oh, yeah.

So what do you do to kee yourself in that mental state, to make sure that you are ready for the physical?

I try to have some sort of routine, check in with my coach, tea USA or USA weightlifting offers.

They have a sports psychologist who travels with us in addition to like a dietician, to help provide resources to mitigate any, anything like that.

For me, I enjoy I do sometimes, sometimes, visualization of my lifts, what I want to feel like once I've done a lift, when I'm done with the competition, like, how do I want this to go and kind of plan it out?

That makes me feel a little bit more prepared if I've already gone through the scenario in my hea or approaching the bar and like I've already made the lift kind of takes that out of the equation.

Like I've already made this lift in training so many times, reminding myself of things like that, of the good training days, to reflec on when going into competition and then really just talking over plan i like every scenario with Steve.

Are you thinking about 2028?

Yeah, I'm thinking about it.

It would be so cool to do a home Olympics.

And, we don't even know the weight classes.

We don't know the selection procedures or anything leading up to that yet.

Maybe we'll know at the end of this year.

I'm not sure.

So it's a great idea, and it's so easy to say I have the gold medal.

But it would be so cool and ideal to to go back to the Olympics, having that experience and getting to do it again with maybe less stress.

I don't know, because it's kind of familiar and I know what to expect in terms of what it's going to take, how long I want to be there.

So I don't know, but it might be completely different.

I was going to ask if it's scarier to try to go for the gold, or to repeat the gold.

I mean, it's going to have to just come down to who else is in my weight class and how confident I feel in myself and what my competitors are doing.

But at the end of the day, like all I can control is how strong I am.

And that kind of starts well, that started like ten years ago, but, starts now.

Yeah.

So when you think back to your 12 year old self the first time in the gym lifting weights, what do you wish someone had said to you then?

That being strong is really cool and useful.

Whether you get to be squatting 400 pounds or not having the base of strength is useful i so many other aspects of life.

And doing a sport like this builds a lot of character.

It's.

Something that I would continue, but I would second that.

So glad to meet the strongest woman I know.

Thank you for having me.

Thanks.

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