(Paris, France) Chattanooga native Olivia Reeves made history on August 9th, 2024, by winning the gold medal in the Women’s 71 kg weightlifting competition at the Paris Olympic Games. In her stunning Olympic debut, Reeves, 21, shattered the previous Olympic snatch record with a lift of 117 kg (258 lbs.) and clinched victory with a total of 262 kg (578 lbs.), securing the United States’ first weightlifting gold medal in 24 years.
Olivia's achievement has brought immense pride to her hometown, leading the city of Chattanooga to declare August 9th as "Olivia Reeves Day." The celebrations continued on September 3rd with a grand parade and pep rally in her honor. During the event, Reeves was presented with the key to the city, commemorating her groundbreaking accomplishment as the first currently-enrolled student from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) to compete in the Olympics.
Reeves, a senior at UTC majoring in Sociology, has been a source of inspiration for many, balancing her rigorous training and academic commitments. Her success is also a testament to the support and guidance of her coach, Steve Fauer, whose wife, Karen Fauer, is the CFO and Co-Founder of UltraGroup Healthcare. Karen was able to attend the competition in Paris along with Olivia’s family to cheer her on to victory. With her gold medal win, Olivia Reeves has not only set new records but also paved the way for the next generation of American weightlifters.
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