Olivia Reeves, a 21-year-old from Chattanooga, Tennessee, made history by winning the gold medal in the women's 71 kg weightlifting event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, marking the first Olympic gold for the U.S. in this sport in 24 years. She set an Olympic record with a snatch of 117 kg and a total lift of 262 kg, outperforming Colombia's Mari Leivis Sanchez by five kilograms. Reeves, who had been training for nine years, expressed her emotional journey, stating that the gravity of the event hit her during the medal ceremony. Her victory follows a historic bronze medal win by Hampton Morris, the first Olympic medal for a U.S. men's weightlifter since 1984. This achievement not only cements Reeves' status as America's leading weightlifter but also serves as an inspiration for young female athletes in the sport. Women's weightlifting was introduced at the Olympics in 2000, with Tara Nott being the last American to win gold before Reeves.