Help me get to the Olympics!

Help me get to the Olympics in Tokyo 2020!

Yasmin Zammit Stevens Community August 27, 2018 at 9:00 am
  • Description
  • FAQ
  • Backers

Project Description

Hi! I’m Yazmin, & I have a VERY BIG DREAM!

OLYMPICS TOKYO 2020

#supportthedream

Who exactly am I?

My name is Yazmin Zammit Stevens and I am 25 years old. I have been weightlifting for the past 3 years and I have recently graduated with a Bachelors degree in Maths & Statistics. Ever since I’ve graduated I have been training full time with the aim of accomplishing some big goals. Even though the last few years have been incredibly tough, it has been an incredible journey!

  • I have broken the national record over 70 times in 2 years
  • I am Malta’s most recent Sportswoman of the year
  • I am the first Maltese woman ever to put a 100kg over her head
  • Also, I compete in the 63kg and 69kg category (depending on comp\training phases) and I am 160cm tall

Realistically, can I actually get to the Olympics?

As you’ll appreciate, the Olympics are the greatest multi sport games an athlete can dream of participating in. They are also one of the toughest Games to qualify for. Throughout my career so far, I have competed in several major events all around the world. I was the first Maltese women to go the the European Championships (where I finished 15th overall), I competed at the World Universiade Games in Taipei (19th overall), and very recently I managed to qualify into the final for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast where I placed 7th Overall.

2 years ago, qualifying for the Commonwealth Games seemed impossible. But in true Yazmin fashion, I made sure I was on that stage. I had just graduated from University with a Bachelors degree in Maths & Statistics, and decided to put work aside for a while to train full time and see where this sport would take me. & well…here I am! I not only managed to qualify with the best 13 athletes from all around the commonwealth countries, but I finished in 7th place overall.

For anyone who isn’t familiar with these multi sport events, the Commonwealth Games are probably the second biggest Games after the Olympic Games. So… we are most definitely ready to take on the bigger challenge.

However, getting a spot for the olympics is, as you would think, going to be harder. I have 2 years of preparation left and we’ve already started the journey to get there. Coming from a small nation, where weightlifting (especially for women) has only started becoming popular in the last few years (thanks to the amazing Jesmond Caruana), getting to the Olympics would not only make me proud of myself…but even more so of my country! Anyone who knows me at all knows how much I love taking Malta’s flag onto a big stage, and what bigger stage than the Olympics!

Which brings me to the whole point of this crowdfunding page…

Why do I need your help?

Prepping for an event as big as the olympics doesn’t come cheap.

In the next 2 years I’ll be competing at several small scale and major events all around the world to build experience and eventually earn a spot at the Games. The qualifying competitions are:

  • World Championships 2018 , Turkmenistan
  • World University Championships 2018, Poland
  • European Championships 2019, Georgia
  • Commonwealth Championships 2019, Samoa
  • World Championships 2019, Thailand
  • European Championships 2020, TBC

as well as international training camps leading up to these major events that usually last all the way from 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on the importance of the competition.

& while I’m lucky enough to be getting some financial help from the Malta Weightlifting Association, the Malta Olympic Committee and Sport Malta, many times we have to refuse certain opportunities because well… I’m a full time athlete who dedicates 8 hours of the day to the gym and the remaining to stretching, eating and recovering. 

SO WHAT EXACTLY WOULD THE FUNDING GO TO?

For now, I want to focus on the events in the near future which are the ones leading up to the World Championships at the end of this year.

Until then I will be competing in several small scale tournaments and one major one (World University Champs in September) . Apart from competing I will also be going on a long training camp in Italy to fully prepare for Worlds. Malta has never had an athlete, male or female, represent them at the Weightlifting World Champs so this is huge for me and my coach!

The financial help I will manage to get will go fully towards:

  • Flights, accommodation and competition fees (For competitions)
    World University Championships, Poland; World Championships, Turkmenistan.
  • Flights, accommodation, food and coaching fees (For training camps)
    Training Camp in October (Rome) for 3 weeks
    Training and coaching fees (local) for 3 weeks with renowned international coach Tamas Feher (Coached the English and USA olympic teams)
  • Membership fees, Coaching fees and local competition fees.

All of these together come to over 8,000 euro worth, and with some of the financial help I get from MWA, MOC and Sport Malta I’ll need an additional 4,000euro (at least ? ) to make all of this happen!

HOW YOU CAN HELP

I’m hoping that given the amazing supporters and follower I have I can reach the initial goal of 2,000 euro, & hopefully if you believe in this dream as much as I do we can also reach the ultimate aim of 4,000euro. Every little helps! I am determined to try my very best to get there and to make Malta proud.

WHAT YOU’LL GET IN RETURN

Take a look on the right hand side to see what rewards you can get in return of your generosity!

(One of my favourite goodies)  – I’ve worked with the amazing Roberta Grech, who helped design a T-shirt for this campaign with the slogan #supportthedream. If you decide to get one of these T-shirts, please post a picture of you in it and use the hashtag #supportthedream! I’ll repost all of these pictures as I can on my story on Instagram <3

THANK YOU so much for your support. I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without you.

Please understand that this plan is not set in stone. Until now I have been healthy and well to train and compete according to plan. However, in some cases the exact schedule might change- we might decide to change one comp with another, or train in a different location than the ones mentioned above. That being said, any financial help given will still go towards training and competing.
Share Project

Project FAQ

  • I have already been given some financial help from the MOC, SportMalta and MWA. The reason behind the campaign is because unfortunetely, these funds will not cover all the costs needed to go to such major competitions that are qualifying events for the Olympics.
  • Plans can change, so even though I have given you a brief description of what competitions and training camps I intend to participate in, we might decide to switch one competition with another or train in one country instead of the other. Nonetheless, all funds collected will go directly towards the same cause - getting me to any qualifying event for Tokyo 2020, or to pay for any training leading up to these major events.
  • These events are very (VERY) expensive. 4,000euro along with the other financial help I get will hopefully fund me up to the World Championships in November, but definitely not any further. Therefore, the funds I am hoping to get help with are not for the entire Olympic journey, but rather for the first part of it.
  • All rewards will be available for pick up or they can also be delivered, depending on your preference.
  • Rewards will be delivered after the campaign is finished and if the campaign is successful.
  • If your reward is one of the T-shirt, you will be asked for your size preference once the campaign is over.
show more