Holley Mangold is one of the top female weightlifters in the world. The 5’8″ 350 lb 22-year-old is a member of the Team USA Olympic team and she’s set to compete at the Summer Games in London next month.
Holley has become recognizable because she’s the sister of Jets center Nick Mangold (who sadly won’t be in London to watch her compete), and also because she seems to be downright hilarious.
Mangold was the subject of a nice feature in New York Times Magazine which tells the story of how she got into weightlifting. The feature also contains a few awesome quotes from Holley, who doesn’t shy away from the obvious: She’s a large woman.
“I get a lot of Creepy McCreepersons interested in me because I’m so big it’s not normal, it’s like a fetish,” she told writer Elizabeth Weil. “And I don’t like to sit outside. Not because I don’t like to be outside, but usually there are plastic chairs. Once you break a couple plastic chairs, you’re afraid of them all.”
Holley also says she’s contemplated getting an Olympics tattoo, but can’t figure out what or where to get it. She doesn’t think she has the appropriate body type for one.
“Tattoos on fat girls look … Really nasty,” Mangold said. “You really don’t want me to get the rings tramp-stamped on my butt.”
The Olympics are a time when obscure athletes become household names based on what they accomplish. Something tells me that if Mangold performs well in London, and gets time in front of cameras, she’ll see a surge in popularity.
Note: This post also appeared at Medal Detector
