South Florida athlete Allison Rebustillo competed on one of Olympic weightlifting’s biggest stages this weekend in Columbus, Ohio. Rebustillo took part in Virus Weightlifting Series 1, a national competition for Olympic Weightlifting, at the Arnold Sports Festival while representing Team USA for the first time.
The 17-year-old posted strong numbers in Columbus, lifting an 89-kilogram snatch — about 196 pounds — and a 114-kilogram clean and jerk, roughly 251 pounds.
Rebustillo said she initially thought the message informing her she had made Team USA was a mistake.
“I got the email on New Year’s Eve and honestly thought it was spam,” said Rebustillo. “I was like, that’s a sick joke to play. But then I realized it was real, and I might have cried a little.”
The opportunity came after a season with both strong performances and setbacks, but Rebustillo said the support within the sport is what keeps her motivated.
“There’s a lot of ups and downs in every sport, but weightlifting is just pure fun,” she said. “The community is so friendly, everyone wants everyone else to succeed.”
Rebustillo began weightlifting almost two years ago while training for a different sport.
“I originally came to my coach to work on physical therapy and get stronger for gymnastics,” Rebustillo said. “But I kind of fell in love with weightlifting enough to not want to do gymnastics anymore.”
Competing at the Arnold Sports Festival — one of the largest multi-sport events in the world — also brought a new level of excitement.
“I didn’t think the Arnold was going to be as packed as it was,” Rebustillo said. “It’s a little intimidating at first, but honestly it just made it more exciting. The energy here is amazing.”
Now, Rebustillo has her sights set on qualifying for international competition.
“We’re trying to qualify for international competitions like Junior Pan Americans,” she said. “I’m only seven kilos away from the qualifying standard.”
Rebustillo could still be selected to represent Team USA at another national meet later this year. Her next scheduled competition is the National Championships in Colorado this summer.
