Ngaire Moran – Tia-Clair Toomey’s friend (weightlifting)
I just got off the phone from Tia in Rio. It was great to hear her voice all the way over in Rio as she prepares to lift for Australia.
I have say; it’s an honor to be chosen as her blogger. Most of us who know Tia well know she doesn’t like to talk about herself. She tends to put her head down, work extremely hard and let the results speak for itself.
Fortunately I love to talk about the little lady (it’s sometimes hard to comprehend she weighs only 58kg) that inspires so many around her with her humble, understated manner.
As with so many events in life, Tia’s phone call to confirm her official Olympic selection was bittersweet.
She had flown to the Sunshine Coast to attend her Pop’s funeral who she was extremely close to. She was in the car with family driving when she got the call.
She knows how proud he would be of her. She knows how proud everyone is of her and yet she still seems genuinely surprised by the inspiring impact she has on those around her.
She’s only recently arrived in Rio due to a detour to the Crossfit Games in Carson, USA. For the second year in a row she was crowned the second Fittest Woman on the Planet. She narrowly missed first place after leading the five day event for most of those days.
It was agonizing watching on TV as they had to check the results again and again because it was so close. Her family made a pact that next year they would all be there in person.
As her mum, Deb said “I just wanted to jump into that screen and be there for her”.
She made all of us back home so proud, but we know she is a fierce competitor and missing out on first place by 11 points will make her hungrier to achieve well at Rio.
Tia sounds calm and ready on the phone. She is looking forward to seeing her fiancé Shane and can’t wait for her support crew to arrive in Rio. Her mum (Deb) and Nan are leaving for Rio on Saturday.
Of course she is missing her four-legged friends back home, Sammy and Rio. Rio is just a puppy and she and Shane added him to the family just after she found out she was selected in the Rio Team. Hence the name Rio.
Tia has already made her family so incredibly proud. She is such a genuine athlete and we can’t wait to cheer her on as she fulfills her childhood dream of representing her country.
