The surge in popularity of CrossFit, a high-intensity fitness program, has brought a renewal of interest in weightlifting, and it is becoming more and more popular for both women and men. But for Marissa Klingseis, a senior biology student, weightlifting has been part of her life since she was in third grade.
Not only is she a committed weightlifter, usually lifting two times almost every day, but she has competed all over the world with USA Weightlifting. Klingseis has set her sights on qualifying for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
If you know her, you know that her goal is not farfetched, but quite attainable. For the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, she qualified as an alternate in her category – three were selected, and Klingseis placed fifth. Additionally, last fall, she placed second in the International University Sports Federation World University Championships. The event was held in Mexico, and first- and third-place winners were from Mexico, and fourth-, fifth- and sixth-places were from Great Britain, Japan and Poland.
The St. Joseph native, who will graduate this month and is planning to attend medical school, says she continues lifting because she loves challenging herself every day. “You’re always trying to improve, because you can never be perfect.”
Her competitive weightlifting events are the snatch and the clean-and-jerk, and in Mexico, for both events, she lifted a total of 249 kilos (547.8 pounds!). The snatch was 107 kilos (235.4 lbs.) and the clean-and-jerk was 142 kilos (312.4 lbs.). The clean-and-jerk and the snatch are both Olympic lifts, and have been described as difficult movements.
Klingseis began lifting under the tutelage of John Carr, who had begun the weightlifting program at InterServ’s Wesley Center, St. Joseph, in 1978. After elementary school, she began lifting at the Wesley Center and today is guided by Dennis Snethen ’82, director of Youth Services at InterServ.
“It’s my second home,” she says with a smile.
Since Klingseis began competing, she has traveled all over the world, including Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Chile, Peru and Colombia. All her travel expenses are paid for by USA Weightlifting. She broke an American lifting record as a youth and hopes to break one as an adult.
In 2017, Klingseis plans to compete in three meets – one in Chicago, one in Miami, and one in Anaheim, California.
“I love the feel of competing. I’m always nervous. But the second I grab the bar and warm up, I feel like everything will be alright, and all my work will pay off.”
She says she’d love to become a weightlifting coach someday, too, and isn’t really sure how long she’ll continue lifting. “I’ll see what happens in 2020.”
Marissa Klingseis’s Achievements
*Youth American Record holder
*2013 Junior World bronze medalist
*3-time Junior Pan American Champion
*2016 Senior National Champion
*4-time American Open Champion
*11-time AAU Junior Olympics Champion
*2016 World University’s Silver Medalist
*2016 Pan American Bronze medalist