DELAND, Fla. – One of the strongest girls in the world walks the hallways of Deland High School.
Mia Rhodes competes in weightlifting. For her age and weight group, Rhodes is not only the strongest girl in Florida. She is the strongest girl in America, and she’s the strongest girl in the world. Last June, Rhodes won a title at the International Weightlifting Federation’s youth world championships. Weeks later, she won a national title.
“It’s unreal,” Rhodes said. “Even when I do think about it, like, ‘I’m the best in the world,’ it’s like... ‘woah.’”
Rhodes is a member of Team USA in weightlifting. Entering her senior year last year, she had unfinished business. A state title for Deland High School was the goal, and earlier this month, Rhodes got it done.
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“It was so exciting,” Rhodes added. “The USA lifting environment and the high school lifting environment are two completely different (environments). USA lifting, I like to say, is like golf. You’re quiet when you lift, but high school lifting is, like...everyone yells at you.”
An injury in gymnastics drove Rhodes to weightlifting as a way to improve her strength. And eight years later, she hasn’t stopped.
“I love what I do. I love lifting, and that’s obviously my main motivation. I’ve built this work ethic; my parents ingrained it in me. If you want to do something, and you want to accomplish the highest you can, you got to work for it.”
After graduation, Rhodes plans to go to UCF to study kinesiology and pursue her goal to be a physical therapist. And her lifting career is far from over.
“I’d love to win some more world championships; that would be fun. I’d love to go to the Olympics if I could. And honestly, just keep trying to grow this sport and inspire people,” she said.
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