the 2020 Excellence Sportive Outaouais Gala in their respective categories: Provincial Female Athlete of the Year and National Male Athlete of the Year.

Both do Olympic weightlifting, which consists of two movements, the snatch and the clean-and-jerk.

The former has the athlete lifting the barbell over their head in a single action, while the latter requires them to first lift the barbell from the floor to their shoulders – the clean – then push the barbell over their head; Jerk.

Competitors are given three attempts for each movement and the weight could be increased if they successfully complete one and still have attempts left. The goal is to lift the most weight calculated by the sum of the two movements, known as the total

Xavier’s current record for the snatch is 128 kilograms and 160 kilograms for the clean-and-jerk.

“But for my last official competition, I did, I think, 120 kilos Snatch and 151 kilos Clean and Jerk,” said Xavier.

Naomie’s record is 70 kilograms for the snatch and 85 for the clean and jerk. However, earlier in her last competition, the Ontario Winter Games, she did 69 and 84 kilograms respectively.

About two years ago, Xavier actually broke the juvenile weightlifting record for the Snatch in Ontario, which was 95 kilograms. He managed to complete the lift and beat the record, but suffered a dislocated elbow at the end, forcing him to quit the competition.

“When I had the weight over my head, my elbow just cracked and it was just not fun,” said Xavier. “I was really frustrated.”

This was not Xavier’s only setback. About three years ago, he injured his knee and back, forcing him to stop training for nearly a year when he was hitting his peak.

Naomie also experiences pain in her back, to the point where she has to take several weeks to a month break after lifting heavily, but has not seen a physiotherapist for it.

Despite the setbacks, the siblings had their dad to help them back on track.

“My dad always told me ‘Not every day is a good day,’” said Xavier. “That stuck in my head.”

On the other hand, Naomie said the best piece of advice she received is the constant reminder to extend her legs, coming from her coach and her dad.

This past year was Xavier’s first competing at a national level, meaning he now travels across the country for events. The Alberta Weightlifting Association hosted this year’s Junior Nationals in Edmonton, where Xavier came in first place, lifting a total of 263 kilograms .

Participants needed to register their weight class a couple of months before the competition must weigh in at a certain weight a couple of hours before it. Xavier’s class was 89 kilograms, meaning anyone who weighs less than this, but more than 81 kilograms – the class below, is placed there.

Furthermore, some of the weightlifters were drug-tested prior to the competition, according to Xavier.

“At this point in the athlete’s career, it’s starting to get a little bit more serious,” said Xavier. “But the way the competition works is the same as the other smaller ones.”

He and his team, Kanama High Performance North, are envisioning taking part in the 2024 Paris Olympic games.

“We are pretty confident we can get to that,” said Xavier.

Since Xavier is part of an Ontario team, he has competed in many events there. The Ontario Winter Games is his second-most important event after the nationals, according to him, one which he attended on several occasions. This year, he landed first place at it.

His team could also be going to IWF Youth World Weightlifting Championships this year in Peru – Xavier’s most anticipated event of the year.

“I hope I get the opportunity to go because it would be my last year as a youth,” said Xavier, explaining that once he turns 18, he is classified in the competitions by his age in years, not months like it is now.

Xavier began doing it competitively when he was 10. His first competition, the Ray Hamilton Classic in North Bay, would follow a couple of years later, when he was 12.

Prior to this, he did gymnastics.

“My dad always wanted to put me and my sister in gymnastics because he said that would be the best way to learn your body before deciding which sport is good for you,” said Xavier, adding that he was able to transfer the skills to weightlifting.

The facility where he did his gymnastics, Extreme Gymnastics in Pembroke, also had a weightlifting gym and this is where Xavier began his journey in the sport.

“One day, my dad brought my sister to the gymnastics class and he discovered the weightlifting gym,” said Xavier. “He started working out and he asked me if I wanted to try it and I said yes. I became really passionate about it.”

Naomie began weightlifting when she was eight after seeing her dad persuade her brother in joining him at the gym.

Unlike her brother, however, Naomie’s perception of weightlifting has changed over time.

“I did try it at eight years old but I didn’t really like it because it wasn’t my thing,” she said. “Then, at 12 years-old, I started back up again and I liked it.”

Justin Spencer coaches both siblings and Xavier said he taught him everything about weightlifting, but when it comes to nutrition and the discipline that comes with being an athlete, he gives all the credit to his dad.

“I would not be where I am right now if it weren’t for him,” said Xavier.

In his first couple of weeks in weightlifting, Xavier trained with only a broomstick in order to be taught proper technique.

“When I started I realized it is completely different to what most people think,” said Xavier. “It’s not just lifting weights, there’s a technique to it – it’s a sport.”

He also does kickboxing alongside weightlifting. Given the lack of martial arts institutions in the area, he was taught the sport by his dad, who has done competitive kickboxing in the past.

Despite his impressive efforts across multiple sports, not everyone has always supported what Xavier does.

“Since the beginning, I’ve had some people that told me I wouldn’t succeed in what I do,” said Xavier. “I didn’t listen to them because I knew where I was going and I knew what I wanted.”

He wishes to spread this attitude to the general public.

“When you have a dream, don’t let it go no matter what happens, no matter what people think about you, if that’s what you want, go for it,” he said. “My goal is to eventually win the Olympics and I want to be considered one of the greats. I want people to say my name with respect.”

Xavier said his main goal in training is to be the best at what he does and the nomination is only a bonus.

“I want to progress in my sport,” said Xavier. “Just to know that I could have the potential to become athlete of the year, well it means a lot to me and it shows that all my hard work has paid off.”

In August, Toronto will be hosting a weightlifting invitational in order to bring the sport back on track following the pandemic and Xavier is expecting to be invited.

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