A woman who grew up in Desert Hot Springs will be trying to strike gold in weightlifting at the Olympic Games in London.
Sarah Robles, 23, grew up in Desert Hot Springs and San Jacinto and is
the top-ranked female weightlifter in the country and a favorite to medal at
the London Games. She left for London last week and posted a gallery of photos from sightseeing in the city on her Facebook page.
Competition for Robles' weight class starts Aug. 5, according to the
Olympics website. The games' opening ceremony is tonight.
"The whole city is geared up for the games. There are Olympic posters,
window decals, driving lanes, etc., all for us,'' she wrote Tuesday on her
blog, Pretty Strong. "... I am enjoying being surrounded by so many elite-
level, like-minded people.''
Robles, who is now based in Mesa, Ariz., got more involved with weightlifting while at Arizona State University on a track and field scholarship. She began lifting competitively in 2008. In March, she lifted a personal-best total of 567.6 pounds at the Olympic trials in Columbus, Ohio, nabbing a spot on the U.S. women's weightlifting team, according to Desert Hot Springs city clerk Kristie Ramos.
"The city of Desert Hot Springs congratulates Ms. Robles on this major
accomplishment and wishes her the best of luck in London. We'll be rooting for
you, Sarah,'' Desert Hot Springs Mayor Yvonne Parks said.
Robles' blog is http://prettystrongblog.blogspot.com, and she provides
updates on her Facebook page.
