A young girl has become a three-time national weightlifting champion after lifting almost her own body weight above her head.
Extraordinary little Ivey Miller, 9, who is just 4ft 6ins tall and weighs 4.7st, wowed judges as she hoisted the equivalent of a two seat sofa or a single bed over her head.
Ivey took to weightlifting after watching her mother, Cheryl-Leigh Miller, and stepfather do CrossFit training on their front drive and wanting to join in.
The schoolgirl from Basingstoke, Hants, has gone on to compete in one English and two British Weightlifting Championships – winning all three.
Ivey Miller has become a three-time national weightlifting champion after winning competitions that saw her lift her bodyweight over her head
In February last year she won the remotely-held English Championships in the under 10s category from her living room – just six months after taking up the sport
Ivey with her coach coach Luke Patterson after winning the British Weightlifting Championships. Ivey trains with Luke three times a week but had to send him videos for review from home during lockdown
And Ivey is showing no signs of slowing down, harbouring dreams of one day becoming an Olympics weightlifter like her hero Sarah Davies.
Explaining how her daughter’s surprising obsession began, 34-year-old mum-of-two Cheryl-Leigh said: ‘Ivey’s stepfather, Henry, and I would do CrossFit training which incorporates some weightlifting on the driveway during lockdown.
‘Ivey would come out and join in by picking up a PVC pipe we used to warm up and copying what we were doing.
‘She competed and won a CrossFit competition, but she specifically enjoyed the weightlifting side.
Ivey, pictured weightlifting at home during the pandemic, is showing no signs of slowing down, harbouring dreams of one day becoming an Olympics weightlifter like her hero Sarah Davies
Ivey while completing a whopping 26KG Clean and Jerk at the British Weightlifting Championships
‘I did some research on children’s weightlifting and how safe it was, and saw there was a lot of positivity around it.
‘So we found her a coach, Luke, at the end of August 2020 and from there she took to the sport.
‘At that point you could train outside, so she would train with Luke three times a week.’
After weather grew colder and lockdown restrictions tighter, Ivey trained in her home in Old Basing, Basingstoke, where she would send videos for her trainer to review.
The young girl first showed interest during her parents’ crossfit home-training and soon progressed from a PVC pipe to lifting real weights
After seeing her passion, her parents found her a coach, Luke, at the end of August 2020 and from there she took to the sport. Pictured in September 2020 aged 7 doing a lift on her front driveway during the pandemic
Ivey’s current PBs are 21kg for the snatch lift and 26kg for the clean and jerk which is just a few kilograms less than her weight of 29kg
Despite having to train remotely for a majority of the pandemic, Ivey progressed to win the live British Championships in Harrogate in front of official British Weightlifting judges
In February last year she won the remotely-held English Championships in the under 10s category from her living room – just six months after taking up the sport.
Ivey then went on to win the virtual British Championships in July, when she competed remotely from Ministry Gym in Basingstoke, where she trains.
Then, last November, she won the live British Championships in Harrogate, North Yorks, in front of official British Weightlifting judges.
Under 12s development weightlifters get six attempts to achieve the highest weight during three ‘snatch’ lifts – where the barbell is lifted from the floor to above the head – and three ‘clean and jerk’ lifts, where the bar is lifted overhead.
The priority Ivey to win lies in her technique – for which the points counts are doubled – instead of the weight, for which competitors receive one point per kilogram
Ivey won the virtual British Championships in July, when she competed remotely from Ministry Gym in Basingstoke, where she trains
Under 12s development weightlifters get six attempts to achieve the highest weight during three ‘snatch’ lifts – where the barbell is lifted from the floor to above the head – and three ‘clean and jerk’ lifts, where the bar is lifted overhead
But the priority in lies in the lifters’ technique – for which the points counts are doubled – instead of the weight, for which competitors receive one point per kilogram.
If a lift is not completed no points are awarded.
Ivey’s current PBs are 21kg for the snatch lift and 26kg for the clean and jerk which is just a few kilograms less than her weight of 29kg.
Ms Miller added: ‘I’m incredibly proud of Ivey. It’s really enjoyable to watch her doing something she loves and the level of commitment she puts into it is what makes me most proud.
Ivey’s mother backed her daughter’s passion after discovering the positivity behind child power lifting, and researching the safety of the sport
‘She knows what she wants to achieve and is just inspirational. She’s only nine but she has such an amazing work ethic.
‘She has such a lovely team who make it so much fun and that’s what’s most important: that she genuinely enjoys doing it.
‘They have been so accommodating to her and without that environment she wouldn’t be getting the same enjoyment out of it.’
On her love for weightlifting and ambitions for the future, Ivey, whose favourite school subject is maths, said: ‘I enjoy weightlifting because it is fun and exciting. When you get a PB (personal best) it’s like one of the happiest moments of your life.
In February last year she won the remotely-held English Championships in the under 10s category from her living room – just six months after taking up the sport
‘I’m on the school football team, I’m at grade seven swimming, and I’ve just started gymnastics.
‘But weightlifting is the best thing that has happened in my life.
‘I want to become an Olympic Champion – that’s one of my biggest dreams out of them all.
‘Sarah Davies is a hero of mine. She helped me get into weightlifting and, if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be doing it today.’
Ivey was inspired to train as a power lifter after watching Women’s World Weightlifting Champion Sarah Davies. Pictured training during the pandemic
Keen on all sports, Ivey also competes on her school football team, grade seven swimming, and has just started gymnastics but weightlifting remains her true passion
Ms Miller added: ‘The funny this was that when she first started, Ivey didn’t realise weightlifting was an Olympics sport.
‘When she discovered it was, a huge smile came over her face because she realised she could potentially be an Olympic champion one day.’
Women’s World Weightlifting Champion Davies, 29, from Preston, Lancs, follows Ivey on Instagram and often sends messages of encouragement and support.
Ivey and her mother will travel to Birmingham this summer to watch Davies live in action, and hope to be able to meet her in person.
Ivey’s next competition is the Hampshire County Championships in April.
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