'Congratulations': Weber honors first American woman to medal twice in weightlifting

U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (R-Friendswood) is singing the praises of weightlifter Sarah Robles following her bronze medal showing at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

“Sarah made TX14 proud with her accomplishments at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and has become the first and only U.S. woman to medal twice in weightlifting,” Weber posted on Facebook after recently greeting the now three-time Olympian and Coach Timothy Swords upon their return to the states. “Congratulations, Sarah.”

A resident of League City, Robles said her game plan has always been simple.

“You have to be focused and you have to work hard – there’s no way around not working hard,” she told the Galveston County Daily News. 

The former Arizona State star added she first began lifting at age 15 and came to realize during her time at ASU that she could compete on a stage as huge as the Olympics.

“I really started lifting full time in 2009, and then by the time 2011 came around the weights I was lifting were like the second-heaviest weights lifted in this half of the world,” she said. “My coach said, ‘If you keep this up, kid, you can make the Olympic team.’”

Roughly a year later, Robles won a spot on the Team USA team headed to the London Olympics. Her first medal came in 2016 at the Games in Rio de Janeiro.

“This is the highlight of most people’s lives, and I didn’t know I’d stick around again and again,” Robles said.

During her meet-and-greet with Weber, both Robles and Sword were each given a U.S. flag that had flown over the Capitol and a certificate. Robles said she’ll take about a week off before beginning work on what she hopes will be her fourth Olympic Games appearance in 2024.