Just out., September 20, 2002, Page 35, Image 35

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Gill vs. breast cancer
riginallv from Coos Bay, Gill played field
hockey for Oregon State University, where
she was a four-year letter winner. Being an
all-around sports aficionado, this self-pro­
claimed dyke also competed in Amateur Soft-
ball Association games during the summers.
Incredibly, this accomplished powerlifter
didn’t become serious about the sport until she
was in her 40s. Moreover, she did so on a dare.
Gill had been working out and lifting with
a friend for more than 10 years, and when they
went to the gym they would size up others
pumping iron. “The mentality was like, ‘Well,
if you think you’re so good, then why don’t you
do something about it?’ ” she remembers. “So
we picked Vancouver [British Columbia] to be
our first lifting meet. I figured I’d try it in
another country first, so that way if I made a
fixil out of myself no one would know.”
She had nothing to worry about. As part of
Team Oregon at Vancouver’s 1990 Gay
Games—her first competition ever—the pow­
erhouse tix>k the gold medal in the Masters
division for her weight class, which includes
women between 40 and 50 years old.
“It was great and a lot of fun,” she exclaims.
“We were treated like celebrities in Vancouver,
and after I got my medal I wore it around to
show it off, iif course.”
After competing, Gill found she had a real
passion for the sport—both the camaraderie
and the challenge enticed her.
“One thing I love about lifting is it’s one of
the only sports that 1 know of where everyone
cheers for you, no matter what,” she says. “Lift­
«
With rest and, most important-
* ly, patience, she made a full recov­
ery and began lifting again. Now
she’s gearing up for the November
Gay Games in Sydney, Australia.
She’ll be competing in the
Masters II division, which includes
women ages 50 to 60 in the 165-
pound-plus weight class.
“This one will be special
because two years ago I didn’t
think that I would do it,” Gill
admits. “I’m still coming back from
where I was, and I still get tired,
but I think I have a good chance
for gold.... I’m lifting against other
women in their 50s, and I think I
can beat them.”
Continued
from Page 1
ing is a competition between that
individual and the weight. When
you see someone struggling, you
want them to win because you
know what they’re going through.
It really makes for a close group of
people.”
Gill kept competing. At 1994’s
Gay Games in New York she
placed third with a lift that was
only 5 kilos less than the eventual
winners.
“After New York my goal was
to get better,” she reveals. “And
I’m usually pretty goal-oriented."
Within the next few years
Gill took the powerlifting world
by storm, not only winning a few
prestigious international events
but again striking gold at the ’98
Gay Games in Amsterdam. How­
ever, this time she won in the
Open division for her weight
class. “I was competing with
women 20 years younger,” she
beams.
Gill outlifts
Gill, who was in peak physical
condition, was also equipped with an impecca­
ble attitude. “I knew that if I was anyplace
close, I would win. I was that confident.
There’s a lot of psychology involved. I’ve seen
people talk about their injuries before lifting
and then go out and fall apart.”
Then in early 2000, Gill received the dev­
astating diagnosis of breast cancer. She was told
\
he great Vince Lombardi,
coach of the Green Bay Pack­
ers, once said, “Mental tough­
ness is essential to success.” Gill
appears to be the embodiment of
this testament and is an inspiration
to Team Oregon and, really, all
athletes. But at this year’s Games,
while she is genuinely grateful for
her recovery and to have the
opportunity to compete again, the
only thing she’ll let you know is
that she thinks she can win. j n .
T
her competitors in New York
it had already spread and immediately under­
went surgery and began chemotherapy.
ill did not want to stop lifting but knew she
had to take the time to recover. “When
s you go through chemo, you lose a lot of
energy. I attempted to do things, but it was just
too hard.”
The G ay G ames VI S port &. C ultural
F estival is O ct. 25 to Nov. 9. For more
information visit wwvu.sydney2002.org.au or
www. teamoregonusa. com .
C ourtney P erkins is a Portland free-lance writer.
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