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Years of hard work has finally paid off for Bellwood-Antis sophomore Gracie Rice, following her recent qualification for the International Weightlifting Federation’s World Competition. 

Competing as a member of Team USA, she will lift among 19 of the best weightlifters in the world competing for a world championship at contest in March in Albania.

“I am excited,” said Gracie. “Ever since I started lifting I have wanted to make it.” 

Gracie competed in Atlanta this past December, where her snatch, and clean and jerk total hit the 140kg mark, making her eligible for the world competition. She is now a part of the top 20 junior weightlifters in the 55kg weight class. 

The 55kg weight class consists of female weightlifters up to 17 years old, and all athletes are drug tested prior to competition.  

Gracie has been training at Dorman’s Sports Performance in Altoona, Pennsylvania since 2019. She has competed in numerous weightlifting competitions that have prepared her for the upcoming international competition. 

“She’s going to compete for Team USA, which is super exciting,” said Gracie’s coach Freddie Dorman. “She’s the first one from our area to ever do so.”  

Gracie began competitive lifting in middle school with Dorman, who is her uncle. She has had a meteoric rise, qualifying for the USA Weightlifting national team as an eighth grader in 2020.

This past summer, Gracie won a national championship for the 14-15 age group at the USA Weightlifting Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Gracie won individual gold in the clean-and-jerk and the snatch lift. She hit 3 personal records in clean (74 kg./163 lbs.), jerk (74 kg./163 lbs.), and snatch (56 kg./123 lbs.), while competing in the 55 kg. weight class and age division 14-15.