(NEXSTAR)— Olympic weightlifter Jourdan Delacruz was a cheerleader before she began her weightlifting journey. She is determined to shine in Paris this summer after not earning a spot on the podium in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“It does take a lot of grit to be a competitive weightlifter, and I think a lot of that comes internally,” Delacruz said.
The 25-year-old from Wylie, Texas found weightlifting after getting into CrossFit with her parents. Delacruz said her best competitions are the ones where she doesn’t know what is going on around her.
“I’m just so focused inward that I actually need someone to tell me what happened once it was all over.”
Delacruz is a three-time Pan American Championships medalist and trains alongside Tokyo silver medalist Kate Vibert. Delacruz said her time in Tokyo has given her new insights as she looks toward Paris.
“I think I learned a lot and my resilience and my, I guess, emphasis on the importance of mental health got stronger through that experience,” Delacruz said.
Delacruz won her first world championship medal in 2023 in the 49 kg. division.