Vanessa McCoy, a Kansas University student, has her sights set on competing in weightlifting at the 2012 Olympic Games. McCoy is pictured at her training facility in Lawrence.

The final weightlifting Olympic medals will be settled in Beijing on Tuesday, but Kansas University student Vanessa McCoy’s sights are already focused on the 2012 Games.

The weightlifter has achieved one of her goals: an invitation to attend the prestigious Olympic training center in Colorado Springs.

Weightlifting has been a modern Olympic sport since 1896, but women didn’t compete until the 2000 Games when Tara Nott made history. She’s the first female American weightlifter to earn Olympic gold.

“It’s still a pretty young sport for women,” McCoy says, “It’s hard to change the perception that it’s only for masculine-looking, big-muscled females. I hope to change that image. Weightlifters can be attractive and feminine as well as successful.”

McCoy, 22, stands 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs around 130 pounds. She’s been lifting for three years and found her way into the sport by chance. She’d been involved in gymnastics and running in her native Wichita Falls, Texas, and ran track for Abilene Christian University. She did light weightlifting to help with conditioning. A competitive lifter saw her and thought she was pretty good.

“He encouraged me to take it up, but I declined,” she says. “After my freshman year I decided to give it a go. I picked it up pretty quickly. My coach entered me for a competition and took me to the Olympic Training Center that summer for fun. I was hooked and decided to train full-time.”

People commented on her explosive power and speed, and said she had the potential to make the world team or even the Olympics.

“My first goal was to get enough recognition to be invited to the Olympic training center,” she says.

Her search for a compatible coach led her to Lawrence to train with Loren McVey.

“I love his program,” McCoy says. “It works really well for me, and he’s a fantastic motivator.”

She trains five times weekly. One main challenge is keeping her body healthy.

“Lifting creates stress in the body,” she admits. “Regular chiropractic treatments, a balanced diet and plenty of sleep help with recovery.”

She’s well within her weight range so doesn’t need special diets. After competition she eats protein and carbohydrates, and avoids processed sugars.

McCoy started competitive lifting in the 58-to-63 kilogram class (women compete in seven classes from 48 to 75-plus kilograms.) She went to the 64-to-69 kilogram class, but she’s reverted to lifting 63 kilograms, which is pretty comfortable for her.

“I love doing competition lifts,” she says. “I’m doing something not done by too many women in the world. I’m lifting more than my own body weight above my head.”

She’s won a preliminary place on the U.S. weightlifting team going to the World University Championships taking place in Komotini, Greece, in November. She still needs to win at the Rodger DeGarmo Memorial tournament in September to secure her place.

“My coach is confident I’ll do well. I hope to make the 2009 World Championship U.S. team as well,” she adds.

Weightlifting has given her opportunities to travel, and she feels great support and encouragement within its community.

“It’s a relatively small group,” she says. “We know one another from competitions, and everyone’s very encouraging. I’ve made some really close friends. On competition days, friendships are put on hold while we focus on winning. Then we return to normal.”

Serious preparation for the 2012 Olympics begins when she makes the move to Colorado Springs in January. She’ll be under the watchful eye of Bob Morris.

“Coach Morris oversees all the athletes at the Olympic Training Center,” she explains, “but I’ll be able to stay in touch with coach McVey; he’s done so much for me as a lifter and as a person.”

She hopes to complete her degree in sports and fitness management in Colorado. Another of her goals is to eventually open her own gymnasium to coach gymnasts and weightlifters.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the Olympics and what they represent. Getting a chance to train for them is a dream come true,” McCoy says. “Weightlifting’s a great sport. I hope I can encourage and inspire other young women the way Tara Nott and others inspire me. It’s enabled me to grow in self-confidence and given me opportunities to follow my dreams.”