KRISTEL NGARLEM

Olympic athlete - Weightlifting

Kristel Ngarlem competed at her first senior national championships when she was 14. She finished second in the 63kg category at the 2011 and 2012 Canadian Championships, behind Olympic medallist Christine Girard, before moving up to the 69kg category in which she finished second at the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Canadian Championships. A four-time junior national champion, Ngarlem won a bronze medal at the 2015 IWF World Junior Championships after making her senior world championship debut in 2014. She had qualified for that event with her fifth place finish at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

PERSONAL

Getting into the Sport: Started weightlifting at age 11 after seeing the movie l’Incomparable Mademoiselle C about a young weightlifter... Had been a looking for a sport in which to channel her energy but wasn’t artistic or graceful for figure skating...
Outside Interests: Recently started studying Victimology at Université de Montréal... Has dreamed of becoming a police officer since she was young...
Odds and Ends: Role models include Joannie Rochette and Bruny Surin... Always makes sure her nails are done before a competition...