MADELINE Letchford is 16 years old and already making waves in the worlds of CrossFit and weightlifting.
The year 10 student from St Joseph’s Regional College recently placed first in her weight category at the State Weightlifting Championships at Sydney Olympic Park, which qualifies her for the National Championships.
She qualified with a 48kg squat snatch and a 68kg squat clean and jerk and competed in the Under 17s division in Olympic weightlifting.
A dual threat, she also placed in the top 400 teenage athletes worldwide in the 2026 CrossFit Games season.
Her daily training consists of two training sessions including Olympic lifting, strength work, and CrossFit classes.
Madeline’s mother Vivienne Bean is her coach.
“This is her first year competing in the sport, with the State Championships only being her first official weightlifting competition,” Ms Bean told News Of The Area.
“Being both her mother and coach, I am beyond proud of Madeline’s determination and achievements.
“As a family, we live by the saying ‘Built by Effort,’ and her dedication demonstrates exactly what hard work, consistency, and grit can achieve.”
With the National Championships held in Victoria in August, Madeline is training intensively and dreaming big.
“I love the ability to train and compete, meet new people, and continue learning new skills,” Madeline said..
“I’m really excited to experience Nationals and see what the future holds for me in the sport.
“One day I’d love the opportunity to reach the Commonwealth Games,” she said.
Madeline trains out of North Brother Gym in Laurieton, balancing high level sport with her full-time academic workload.
By Rachael THORPE
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