Strong!

"Lift like a Girl."

Jul 18 2012 PG 1h 16m
Biography, Documentary, Sport

By 15 she was an American national champion. By 17 she was competing in the Olympics. A formidable figure at five feet, eight inches tall and weighing over 300 pounds, Cheryl Haworth made history in Sydney, Australia in 2000 when she became the youngest athlete to win an Olympic weightlifting medal. Strong!, directed by Julie Wyman, follows Haworth as she struggles to defend her champion status even as her career inches toward its inevitable end. From the highs of her spectacular rise to the lows of battling injuries, Strong! explores the challenges this unusual elite athlete faces: coming to terms with a body that is celebrated within her sport but shunned by mainstream culture. In presenting Haworth’s story, Strong! follows the path of a gender pioneer in an unconventional sport, and makes us question stereotypical notions of health, size, and fitness.

Plot

Cheryl Haworth is America's top Olympic weightlifter, ranked well above all men and women on Team USA. But at 5 feet 8 inches, weighing over 300 pounds, she doesn't fit easily into standard chairs, clothing sizes, or preconceptions. STRONG! chronicles an athlete's struggle to defend her champion status as her weightlifting career inches towards its inevitable end, exploring the contradiction of a body that is at once celebrated within the confines of her sport and shunned by mainstream culture.

Written by

N/A

Directed by

Julie Wyman

Cast

J.S. Gilbert, Cheryl Haworth

Crew

View crew

Languages

English

Awards

N/A

Scores
# of Votes
40
Average Rating
6.7 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA