Medea Jones

Who are you?
My Name is Medea, I am in my 20's and currently studying Business at the University of Waikato. I've been an athlete for a number of years. Previously I was an Artistic Gymnast and International Power Tumbler for New Zealand. I am now a Senior Olympic Weightlifter for New Zealand and have been involved in the sport for five years.

What sport do you compete in?
Olympic Weightlifting

What do you love about your sport?
There are so many things to love about weightlifting. I love the adrenaline rush I get from lifting a personal best. There is nothing quite like lifting a heavy barbell and hearing the crowd cheer for you. But I really love how technical and intricate the sport is. Sure we need to be strong but we also need to be speedy, and motivated to pick apart our technique everyday to make sure we improve at our next comps. It's also been amazing for my confidence levels. I feel stronger physically and mentally, and love that I don't have to conform to any perceived shape or form to be a weightlifter.

What are your goals for the next few years?
I am currently training to compete at the Senior World Championships and hope to move up in the rankings internationally. Beyond that I would really love to make it to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, and 2028 LA Olympic Games.

What is the highlight of your sporting career?
I have two highlights. My first and most recent highlight was lifting 98kg Snatch to earn a bronze medal at the 2023 Junior World Championships held in Guadalajara, Mexico. In addition this made me the third ever athlete in NZ to earn a medal at a Junior Worlds event for NZ.

My second highlight was competing at the 2024 North Island Championships where I had lifted a 224kg total to reach Elite grade and qualify to compete at the 2024 Senior World Championships. Reaching this total had been a long time goal as I wanted to qualify for my first Senior worlds in my first official year as a Senior athlete and so I was very excited to have achieved this.