Africa champion Kerubo eyes Youth Olympics slot

At first, Mercy Kerubo,15, was hesitant when national team head coach Douglas Locho introduced her to weightlifting in 2020.

She viewed the sport as male dominated and would not augur well with women and girls like her who had dreams like modelling.

Fast forward, five years later, she has fallen in love with the discipline and nothing can stop her from lifting the weights.

"This is my world number one sport. I have fallen in love with it. I sleep, eat, and drink weightlifting. Actually, I'm more than addicted. It's like a gospel to me,” she told to Standard Sports.

“And the fact that I wanted to be a continental champion, a dream that has come true and faster than I ever expected, has motivated me to think of other possibilities, like winning the Olympics and dominating the world championships," the Africa Youth women's 64kg champion said.

Just four years after she embraced her first weight lift, Kerubo managed to take part in her first ever African showpiece last November in Nairobi.

She struck three gold medals in the Youth (snatch, clean and jerk and total) and won three silvers, also in that order, in the Junior categories to end the 13th edition of the Africa Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships staged in Ruaraka with a total of six medals.

"It feels good to dominate Africa. It's a nice feeling, especially amassing those medals in my debut that left me as the most decorated Kenyan girl in the competition," she said.

Buoyed by the lofty achievement, Kerubo who trains at the Langata Weightlifting Club, says her focus now is on the forthcoming Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics.

"I'm hopeful to qualify for Dakar. I know it won't be an easy process but I'm inspired and motivated to give it a try, but I will have to improve my game in the snatch.

"I don't think my technique during snatch is very solid for now. I want to snatch very well, so this is the area that I'm working on, together with my coach," she explained.

The Form Two student at Langata Road Secondary School says intense training, proper nutrition, mental focus and dedicated prayers are what have led her to grow in the sport.

"My dream in five years is to win medals in the senior categories, in Africa, the world and at the Olympics," she said.

Despite being so optimistic, Kerubo fears injuries, a challenge she says is capable of smoking out a weightlifter's dream in the sport.

"Injuries can derail you, they can ruin your fitness and goals,” she said.

And what advice does she have for people, especially women and girls, who are eager to embrace the sport?

"Weightlifting is a passion. A very interesting game. Girls and women should not shy away from it. It makes you fit. It will take you places, faster than you ever expected. It will open many doors and opportunities for you, as you meet great people who have potential to change your life," she said.