Lauri Siegel ‘really proud’ as she prepares for Phoenix experience
A TEENAGE strongwoman says it “doesn’t feel real” that she is heading to the USA to compete in a world championship event this weekend.
Lauri Siegel, 17, will set off with her family tomorrow (Saturday) to begin making the almost 5,000 mile journey to Phoenix, Arizona for the World Static Monsters finals.
Siegel’s story of recovering from a broken arm to a major success in her first ever strongwoman event – just three weeks after taking up the sport – was covered by Shetland News in March of this year.
From finished to Phoenix – teenager completes stunning sporting comeback after arm break
Now she is preparing to take on the world in the searing Phoenix heat next week – and says she cannot wait to get started.
“I’m really excited but definitely nervous as well,” Siegel told Shetland News.
“It honestly still doesn’t feel real that we’re actually leaving for Phoenix this weekend.
“When I took up strength training in January, I never imagined that eight months later I’d be travelling to Arizona to compete at a World Championship. I think it’ll probably properly sink in when we get there.”
The teenager says she has been working really hard in training to prepare for the Static Monsters event, which will be livestreamed on YouTube.
“My strength has come on massively, so I just want to get out there, enjoy the experience and give everything I’ve got,” Siegel said.
“To be 17 and representing Shetland at a World Championship is something I’m really proud of.
“It’ll be brilliant knowing everyone back home can watch and support me from Shetland.”
Siegel said she was “really proud of how far I’ve come in such a short time”.
And she promised that she is “going to give it everything I’ve got when I compete.”
“Whatever happens, getting the chance to represent Shetland on the world stage at 17 is something I’ll never forget.
“I’m excited to see what comes next because this is only the beginning.”
Just to get her on the plane has taken months of preparation and fundraising for Siegel and her family. She said the response to her numerous fundraisers has been “amazing” and “much more than I ever expected”.
“I’m really grateful to everyone who has donated, baked for cake sales and shared the fundraiser, come along to fundraising events or helped us in any way,” she said.
“Being from Shetland and having so many people get behind me has meant a lot.”
Siegel has promised that “Arizona isn’t the end” for her. She has already entered into her first Natural Strongman competition in January next year.
All going well, that could give her the opportunity to progress through to UK and Ireland, European and hopefully even more world championships down the line.
She thanked her sponsors K&K Transport, G&S Flooring, N-Graved, Jim’s Garage Ford, J&Ds Halcrow and Shetland Weight Training Club, adding she would not be going to Arizona without their support.
And she gave a big thank you to her training coach Shauna Moar and performance coach Bryan Pearson, to her mam and dad Dawn and Gordon, and “all my family for everything they’ve done and for being behind me all the way”.
The Static Monsters event begins on Friday 18 September with the weigh-ins, with the competition being live-streamed every day here.
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