Beyond the Bar: Sophie Shaft and Ella Nicholson
How did each of you get started in the sport?
Sophie: “I started weightlifting after competing competitively in CrossFit for 8 years. I realized that weightlifting was a better fit, since I strongly disliked the cardio portion of CrossFit. Before CrossFit, I did gymnastics for seven years.”
Ella: “My weightlifting background originally started when I was 13. I began to do CrossFit to improve at other sports that I was doing at the time, which included lacrosse, basketball, track and swimming. I found a greater passion for weightlifting, which led me to competing at a high level.“
You both recently had successful competitions at the Junior and Youth World Championships. What did that mean to you and how important is that towards your goal of representing Team USA at the Olympic Games in 2028?
Sophie: “It was awesome to finally medal at Junior Worlds. My first year competing at them I placed fifth, and then in the second year I got fourth, missing the podium by just a kilo. This was just another step towards my goal of LA, and I am excited to keep grinding.”
Ella: “Winning my third world title was very cool, and it was an experience that I won’t forget. At the same time looking into the future, and especially at LA, what matters are senior competitions, and I have yet to prove myself at a senior international meet. We also don’t know the qualifications for LA just yet, so winning these World Championships have made me feel like I could definitely make a run at the Olympics in 2028, and they have also made me feel excited for the future.”
How important is it to have programs like Team28 and donor support for athletes to reach their goals?
Sophie: “The Team28 program is really important to have the support towards competing to help myself and others reach our goals; I am exciting that there are opportunities like Team28. It truly takes a village, and having good people around you makes the biggest difference.”
Ella: “Having a program that helps to fundraise and support USA Weightlifting athletes to get and have a successful home Olympic Games is a big deal. It shows how much USA Weightlifting cares about its athletes at a higher level, and the fact that it helps athletes to support their goals of going to the Olympics is amazing.”
What would you say is the biggest struggle for an athlete to reach their goals?
Sophie: “I’d say the biggest struggle for an athlete to reach their goals is the overall stress of competing at a high level. It can be very difficult to prioritize what it takes to be the best every day from training strategically, to nutrition, to sleep and recovery work, as well as staying locked in mentally when things get hard. My biggest obstacle that I have overcome so far is not letting my happiness be based on how I perform or what numbers I hit. I am in a great spot right now when it comes to enjoying the process and having fun in training.”
Ella: “Well, I think funding is a struggle for weightlifters. I think that one of the biggest struggles to reach goals in weightlifting is consistency and continuously improving overtime. I also think that pressure to do well is a very big struggle. My biggest obstacle is the struggle that I feel that I’ve been through is focusing on myself and not worrying about what other people are doing. I feel like in the past I’ve looked too much to the sides to see what everyone else is doing when I should just be focusing on myself.”
What would you tell other females looking to get into competitive weightlifting?
Sophie: “I would tell other girls getting into competitive weightlifting to enjoy the process, have fun, and try not to stress about factors you can’t control.”
Ella: “I would tell other females that are looking into getting into competitive weightlifting to definitely give it a try. I mean at the end of the day, if you don’t like it, you can always stop, but it’s super fun and it’s competitive at the same time, which I love a good competition. I’d also say that it’s a great space to meet people that are like-minded and have similar goals to you. On many of the Youth and Junior international trips that I’ve been on I’ve met a bunch of different people that come from a bunch of different backgrounds, and some of them might become good friends with which is awesome.”
What would you say has been your most proud moment in weightlifting so far in your career?
Sophie: “My most proud moment in weightlifting so far was the 2024 World Championships in Bahrain where I increased my international total by 8kg and placed 7th overall. This was my first senior competition, and it was an awesome experience.”
Ella: “My most proud moment in weightlifting so far would definitely have when I got my senior American record snatch as a 76 kg lifter in Leon, Spain at 2024 Junior Worlds, I had a 113 kg snatch. It’s something that I won’t forget because it’s something that I’m chasing again in training to hit in competition.”
