An Interview with Austria’s most talented young lifter: Sarah Fischer

Sarah snatching 100kgs at the European Championships (Bucharest, 2018)

The 18 year old Sarah Fischer had an incredible 2018 receiving 9 medals in international competitions, including 3 from the European Senior championships in Bucharest – her first senior international competition at the age of 17! She currently holds 6 Austrian records, in fact Austria has not seen such talent since 2013!

We are very fortunate to ask Sarah a few questions about her career as a former youth athlete and now starting out at senior level so continue reading to hear about her weightlifting family, achievements, tips and dreams!

1) We have seen your recent pictures on Instagram of you lifting as a young kid! When did you start weightlifting and what or who was your inspiration to begin?

I started weightlifting at the age of 7 and began competing less than a year later, because my dad was a weightlifter too. My older brother David was the one who inspired me to try this sport out because he was always teasing me and saying things like he is stronger and better than I am. I just started weight lifting to show my brother that I can be as good as he is.

2) We see that you had an amazing year for weightlifting with 9 international medals, but what do you consider your biggest achievement in sport?

In my opinion my biggest achievement I had in my career are my medals from the European senior championships, because it was my first senior competition and I was able to win 3 medals.

3) Do you have any hobbies or other things you like to do outside of weightlifting that would surprise people?

I don’t really have any hobbies, as a professional athlete you don’t really have time for other things than training and relaxing. There’s one thing people would never believe when they hear I do weightlifting is that I’m addicted to makeup. I love spending most of my money for expensive makeup!

4) Who is your coach and what is the best lesson your coach has taught you?

My dad is my coach. I know this sounds weird, at the beginning I couldn’t think of anybody else other than my dad to coach me. My coach hasn’t told me one time that I’m good or that no one is better than I am, I mean of course he is proud of me for everything, but he tries to make me understand that there is more to win, you can always be better than you are now, you don’t have to settle for what you have & know you can have more.

5) What is your top tip for those starting out in weightlifting?

Especially for girls and women, just do it! Don’t listen to guys who tell you it’s not ladylike to lift weights. You don’t have to be like anybody to be somebody.

127kg Clean & Jerk at Bucharest, European Championship (2018)

6) Who are your favourite lifters to take inspiration from?

Definitely Tatiana Kashirina, she’s my inspiration. I just really like her technique of lifting. I’m also a big fan of Svetlana Podobedova, but she’s now retired with a baby so I guess that I can't count her anymore. I’m also a big fan of Ilya Ilyin, I met him in Bucharest and he is such a nice person and so down to earth. And of course Lasha Talakhadze, I met him at a few competitions now and he’s such a nice person, not even a bit arrogant.

7) What has been your biggest challenge to overcome?

Probably that weightlifting isn’t popular in Austria and that I have so many haters in Austria. They are jealous that I made medals at international events and they don’t even qualify to go to the competition I made medals in.

8) How popular is weightlifting in Austria and where are the best places to go and lift?

Weightlifting is not popular in Austria, Austria is a country for alpine skiing and football. But in the last few years the media and people got interested in weightlifting, that’s a great thing for the Austrian weightlifting federation. The best place to lift is in Lower Austria, where I train, in St. Polten (@sportzentrumnoe + www.sportzentrum-noe.at) they are doing some renovations so in the next months there is going to be a lot more platforms and barbells. It’s going to be great!

9) Where is your favourite place you have travelled to for a competition?

Probably the 2017 Youth World Championships in Bangkok or 2018 Junior Worlds in Tashkent

10) What are your current goals for your weightlifting career?

I’m trying to get my ticket to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Check out the link below to see her lift an impressive 101 kg Snatch and 125 kg Clean and Jerk during the the 2018 European championships in Bucharest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikpv33lDE7A

Team Canterbury Strength with Sarah Fischer