Karyn Marshall
Encyclopedia
Dr. Karyn Marshall, DC, (born 1956 in Miami, Florida) is an American
Olympic weightlifter of Norwegian descent
who was notable for being world champion in 1987. She set 60 American and world records in women's weightlifting and is the first woman in history to clean and jerk
over 300 lb (136 kg). She became a doctor of chiropractic
and runs a private practice in Shrewsbury, New Jersey
. In 2011, Marshall was inducted into the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame.
, but the family moved north to Yonkers, New York
in the 1960s. She attended Bronxville High School
and excelled in field hockey (she was goalie) and basketball (center), graduating in 1974. She earned a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University
in 1980 and was a Dean's List
student. She worked as a nurse
for six months but changed her mind saying there "were a lot of frustrations." She worked as a financial analyst
at the Wall Street
brokerage firm of P. R. Herzig and Company for ten years.
in White Plains, New York. She won her first national championship in 1981. During the 1980s, Marshall won her weight class six times out of seven and set 45 national records. In 1984, she made it into the Guinness Sports Record Book
with a 289 pounds (131.1 kg) clean and jerk, an Olympic event featuring a two-stage lift of a barbell above one's head. This lift topped the former record held by Sandwina
. In 1984, she was recognized as the world record holder for women's weightlifting in the 82.5 kg category, based on her results from a competition in Florida
. In 1985, Marshall lifted 303 pounds (137.4 kg) in the clean-and-jerk lift. In 1986 at the inaugural women's world championships in Daytona Beach
, she won three gold medals. By 1987, a year described as being the first year in which there was an official recorded world championship for women, Marshall won the International Weightlifting Federation
(IWF) World Championship. She was described as the "top American finisher" in the 181¾ pound weight class. In 1988, she was listed in the New York Times roster of champions for women's weightlifting in the 82.5 kg category. In 1989, she won the women's heavyweight division by lifting a total of 507 pounds (230 kg).
Marshall won silver medals in international competitions—Jakarta
(1988), Manchester
(1989) and Sarajevo
(1990). In 1989, Marshall won the women's heavyweight division lifting a total of 507 pounds (230 kg). In 1999, Marshall won a gold medal
in the open division middle heavyweight division (+75 kg or +165¼ pounds). She is an eight‑time United States Weightlifting Federation (USWF) champion and New York State record holder for the United States Powerlifting Federation (USPF). She is the first woman in history to snatch over 200 pounds. A snatch
is the other Olympic event in which a barbell is raised from a platform to locked arms overhead in a smooth continuous movement, pulled as high as possible, typically to mid chest height. Marshall holds the IWF World Record for the snatch lift at 248 lb (112.5 kg).
"The most exciting moment...was being the last American to lift at the 1987 Women's World Championship. The Chinese had dominated the competition, winning each of the other weight classes, and I was the last American hope. Lifting the most weight of the competition and winning three gold medals for myself, my team and my country was a most intense feeling," she said in an interview.
In 1991, in a send-off of the United States
team to the Olympics, Marshall set "Festival records for the snatch (198 1/4), clean and jerk (264 1/2) and total (462 3/4) at 181 3/4 pounds." By 1991, she had won a total of one world championship (1987), 63 American records, and 8 world records. She appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Joan Rivers Show
, ESPN
, CNN
, and various other prime time news and sports broadcasts. In 2011, she became a coach at CrossFit in Shrewsbury, New Jersey
.
Marshall began studying to be a doctor of chiropractic
at the New York Chiropractic College
based on her successful experiences as a patient. She attributed much of her success in weightlifting to chiropractic because it steered her away from painkillers and towards drug-free and non-surgical forms of treatment and prevention, she said in an interview. She explained her decision to become a chiropractor allowed her to "stay involved in health and fitness, while at the same time being able to use my knowledge and experience to help other people."
During these years, Marshall continued to compete in weightlifting events; in 2006, competing at age 50, she set three records in the women’s 50–54 category. The first two records came in the snatch and clean and jerk events, and her total of 143 kilograms (315 lb) set a record. She also was described as having bench-pressed 238 pounds (108 kg), and made a "475 pound [215 kg] dead lift".
After competing in several weightlifting events at the CrossFit Games in summer 2011, Marshall took a 15–minute ice-bath to speed recovery time, reduce soreness and inflammation. In the past, she had combined ice baths with saunas. She described the ice bath
experience:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Olympic weightlifter of Norwegian descent
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
who was notable for being world champion in 1987. She set 60 American and world records in women's weightlifting and is the first woman in history to clean and jerk
Clean and jerk
The clean and jerk is one of the two Olympic weightlifting events .The clean portion of the lift refers to the lifter explosively pulling the weight from the floor to a racked position across deltoids and clavicles...
over 300 lb (136 kg). She became a doctor of chiropractic
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
and runs a private practice in Shrewsbury, New Jersey
Shrewsbury, New Jersey
Shrewsbury is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,809....
. In 2011, Marshall was inducted into the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame.
Early years
Marshall was born in a Miami hospital but grew up in Coral Gables, FloridaCoral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
, but the family moved north to Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
in the 1960s. She attended Bronxville High School
Bronxville Union Free School District
Bronxville Union Free School District is a public school district in Bronxville, Westchester County, New York. In 2007, 1569 students were enrolled in the district's schools. It is located at 177 Pondfield Road, Bronxville, New York 10708....
and excelled in field hockey (she was goalie) and basketball (center), graduating in 1974. She earned a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1980 and was a Dean's List
Dean's List
A Dean's List is a category of students in a college or university who achieve high grades during their stay in an academic term or academic year. In secondary schools, or high schools, the term Consistent Honor List or Honor Roll is more common, but Dean's List and Consistent Honor List are...
student. She worked as a nurse
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
for six months but changed her mind saying there "were a lot of frustrations." She worked as a financial analyst
Financial analyst
A financial analyst, securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, or investment analyst is a person who performs financial analysis for external or internal clients as a core part of the job.-Job:...
at the Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
brokerage firm of P. R. Herzig and Company for ten years.
Career
Marshall began training in 1978. She was coached by talented weightlifters such as Arthur Drechsler. Marshall's first competition was the qualifying meet for the 1979 Empire State GamesEmpire State Games
The Empire State Games are a set of annual Olympic-style competitions for amateur athletes from the state of New York, encompassing several divisions and allowing athletes of all ages to compete. It was a member of the National Congress of State Games...
in White Plains, New York. She won her first national championship in 1981. During the 1980s, Marshall won her weight class six times out of seven and set 45 national records. In 1984, she made it into the Guinness Sports Record Book
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
with a 289 pounds (131.1 kg) clean and jerk, an Olympic event featuring a two-stage lift of a barbell above one's head. This lift topped the former record held by Sandwina
Katie Sandwina
Katie Sandwina , born Katie Brumbach in Vienna, Austria, was a circus strongwoman.-Life in the circus:...
. In 1984, she was recognized as the world record holder for women's weightlifting in the 82.5 kg category, based on her results from a competition in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In 1985, Marshall lifted 303 pounds (137.4 kg) in the clean-and-jerk lift. In 1986 at the inaugural women's world championships in Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
, she won three gold medals. By 1987, a year described as being the first year in which there was an official recorded world championship for women, Marshall won the International Weightlifting Federation
International Weightlifting Federation
The International Weightlifting Federation , headquartered in Budapest, is the international governing body for the sport of Olympic weightlifting.The IWF was founded in 1905, and has 187 member nations. The IWF president is Dr...
(IWF) World Championship. She was described as the "top American finisher" in the 181¾ pound weight class. In 1988, she was listed in the New York Times roster of champions for women's weightlifting in the 82.5 kg category. In 1989, she won the women's heavyweight division by lifting a total of 507 pounds (230 kg).
Marshall won silver medals in international competitions—Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
(1988), Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
(1989) and Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
(1990). In 1989, Marshall won the women's heavyweight division lifting a total of 507 pounds (230 kg). In 1999, Marshall won a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the open division middle heavyweight division (+75 kg or +165¼ pounds). She is an eight‑time United States Weightlifting Federation (USWF) champion and New York State record holder for the United States Powerlifting Federation (USPF). She is the first woman in history to snatch over 200 pounds. A snatch
Snatch (weightlifting)
The snatch is one of the two olympic weightlifting events .The essence of the event is to lift a barbell from the platform to locked arms overhead in a smooth continuous movement. The barbell is pulled as high as the lifter can manage at which point the barbell is flipped overhead...
is the other Olympic event in which a barbell is raised from a platform to locked arms overhead in a smooth continuous movement, pulled as high as possible, typically to mid chest height. Marshall holds the IWF World Record for the snatch lift at 248 lb (112.5 kg).
"The most exciting moment...was being the last American to lift at the 1987 Women's World Championship. The Chinese had dominated the competition, winning each of the other weight classes, and I was the last American hope. Lifting the most weight of the competition and winning three gold medals for myself, my team and my country was a most intense feeling," she said in an interview.
In 1991, in a send-off of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
team to the Olympics, Marshall set "Festival records for the snatch (198 1/4), clean and jerk (264 1/2) and total (462 3/4) at 181 3/4 pounds." By 1991, she had won a total of one world championship (1987), 63 American records, and 8 world records. She appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Joan Rivers Show
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, and various other prime time news and sports broadcasts. In 2011, she became a coach at CrossFit in Shrewsbury, New Jersey
Shrewsbury, New Jersey
Shrewsbury is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,809....
.
Marshall began studying to be a doctor of chiropractic
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
at the New York Chiropractic College
New York Chiropractic College
New York Chiropractic College is a leading natural healthcare academic institution located in Seneca Falls, NY. It is one of 18 Chiropractic Colleges in the United States. The school was founded in New York City as Columbia Institute of Chiropractic by Dr. Frank Dean in 1919...
based on her successful experiences as a patient. She attributed much of her success in weightlifting to chiropractic because it steered her away from painkillers and towards drug-free and non-surgical forms of treatment and prevention, she said in an interview. She explained her decision to become a chiropractor allowed her to "stay involved in health and fitness, while at the same time being able to use my knowledge and experience to help other people."
During these years, Marshall continued to compete in weightlifting events; in 2006, competing at age 50, she set three records in the women’s 50–54 category. The first two records came in the snatch and clean and jerk events, and her total of 143 kilograms (315 lb) set a record. She also was described as having bench-pressed 238 pounds (108 kg), and made a "475 pound [215 kg] dead lift".
After competing in several weightlifting events at the CrossFit Games in summer 2011, Marshall took a 15–minute ice-bath to speed recovery time, reduce soreness and inflammation. In the past, she had combined ice baths with saunas. She described the ice bath
Ice bath
In sports therapy, an ice bath or sometimes a cold-water immersion or cold therapy is a training regimen usually following a period of intense exercise in which a substantial part of a human body is immersed in a bath of ice or ice-water for a limited duration...
experience: