In the lead up to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, The WOD Life catch up with Phillipa Hale. Pip is a 29 year old Olympic Weightlifter from Auckland and will be competing on the New Zealand Weightlifting Team.

Pip competes in the 53kg class, training out of Functional Strength Olympic with Partner and fellow competitor Richie Patterson.

What is your sporting or athletic background?

10 years Competitive Gymnastics age 5-14years. CrossFit for 2 years before Olympic Weightlifting.

When did you first start Olympic Weightlifting?

I started Olympic Weightlifting through CrossFit and found I really loved it and wanted to get stronger for CrossFit. I competed at the 2011 and 2012 Australia Regionals as an individual and 2013 in the Functional Strength CrossFit Team.

Then my Coach Richie Patterson convinced me to just focus on Weightlifting to work towards qualify for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. This took him about 1 year! I loved CrossFit and didn’t want to give it up!!

What was it that attracted you to the sport?

I decided to dedicate my training to Weightlifting as I could see how hard it is for a smaller girl to compete against larger 65-75kg girls in CrossFit.

In 2011 I was about 49kg and we all had to lift the same weights for a lot of reps. In Weightlifting we have weight classes and you compete against girls the same size as you.

What is your favourite lift?

Sometimes Snatch, Sometimes Clean and Jerk. It’s like a merry go round!!! I usually like the one that is going the best in training at that time. You always have something to work on, I guess that’s what makes it fun! Chasing perfection.

When did you know that you had the skill and determination to make Olympic Weightlifting your sport?

I guess Richie convinced me of this! If you had of told me 5 years ago I would have made the Commonwealth Games for Weightlifting I would have never believed you!!

I remember when I started I looked up the New Zealand Records and said hell no!! they where huge weights, compared to what I was lifting at that time. Now I hold 9 NZ records across 3 body weight classes. My best Competition Lifts are 80kg Snatch and 98kg Clean and Jerk.

Who is a lifter in the sport that you look up to? Or someone that inspires you to achieve your best?

I like watching 53kg and 48kg Weight class Women’s International competitions the best, I guess it’s something about girls the same size as you smashing these huge weights that is just so impressive!

If you could give aspiring lifters one piece of advice to excel in lifting what would it be?

Dream big!

What about one tip to be successful lifting at a competition?

Confidence, if you don’t believe you can no one will believe it for you.

What are you most looking forward to at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow?

Competing!! I can’t wait to get out there.

What does the future hold for Pip Hale?

I’m not sure to be honest, we have had a long, hard build up for this event and I didn’t want to plan anything major until after as this has been my focus.

But in saying that I am entered in The Wellington Cup Team CrossFit comp run by CrossFit Central Wellington with my Functional Strength CrossFit buddies just a few weeks after Commonwealth Games!!!