Elsa Dahl
Elsa Dahl, inducted 2016
Elsa was first involved in her mid-fifties in Senior Olympic Track and Field (javelin, shot put and discus). When she felt a need to get in better shape to continue at her peak, it was recommended she train for Olympic style lifting to gain power and speed. Fortunately, she found one of the finest coaches in New England, Jackie Simonsen, now Jackie Brown. Jackie is also a national caliber lifter, who holds all New England Records in the 50–54 Age Group, 58 Kilos Bodyweight Class [records now retired due to revision of Classes].
Elsa started training with Jackie in October 2000. Unfortunately, she had to stop to have surgery on her right knee. Next year, after her knee was healed, she started again and the rest is history. Starting at the tender age of 65, she competed in her first contest, the New England Championships, Masters Division, in Essex Junction, Vermont.
Since then, she has won many competitions and established many records at local, regional, national and international events. Her biggest fan is her sister Eleanor, who has traveled all over the country with Elsa to support and cheer her on to victory.
Now records may come and go, but like Sir Edmund Hillary and Roger Bannister, whose achievements the world thought impossible and are forever enshrined in history, Elsa also has achieved something that can never be taken away from her.
Elsa is the first and still only [as of 2016] athlete to compete in the Women’s American and National Masters Championships in the 80–84 Age Group, therefore winning gold and establishing all the records in the +75 Kilos Weight Class for both championships. Now, I don’t know where she stands on the international stage, since the last Age Group is “70 and above”! Even the IWF didn’t think it was necessary to have an 80–84 Age Group for women. [Again, this was written around 2016.]
Elsa Dahl is our “Grande Dame of Olympic Weightlifting” for New England!
—Jim Fitzgibbon, written for the nominating materials for Elsa’s proposed induction into the New England LWC Hall of Fame
ELSA DAHL – NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS
DATE COMPETITION AGE GROUP WT CL SN CJ TOTAL PLACE
2002 NATIONAL MASTERS 65 – 69 75+ 22.5 30 52.5 SILVER
2002 CAN AM / NELWC MASTERS 65 – 69 75+ 25 32.5 57.5 GOLD
2003 NATIONAL MASTERS 65 – 69 75+ 25 32. 5 57.5 SILVER
2004 NATIONAL MASTERS 65 – 69 75 27.5 35 62.5 SILVER
2004 CAN AM / NELWC MASTERS 65 – 69 75 25 32.5 57.5 GOLD
2004 AMERICAN MASTERS 65 – 69 75 27.5 37.5 65 GOLD
2005 NATIONAL MASTERS 70 – 74 75 27.5 35 62.5 GOLD
2005 WORLD MASTERS GAMES 70 – 74 75 25 35 60 GOLD
2005 CAN AM / NELWC MASTERS 70 – 74 75 25 35 60 GOLD
2005 AMERICAN MASTERS 70 – 74 75 28 35 63 GOLD
2009 AMERICAN MASTERS 70 – 74 75+ 27 32 59 GOLD
2010 NATIONAL MASTERS 75 – 79 75+ 27 34 61 GOLD
2010 AMERICAN MASTERS 75 – 79 75+ 27 31 58 GOLD
2012 AMERICAN MASTERS 75 – 79 75+ 23 28 51 GOLD
2013 NATIONAL MASTERS 75 – 79 75+ 23 23 46 GOLD
2014 AMERICAN MASTERS 75 – 79 75+ 21 25 46 GOLD
2015 NATIONAL MASTERS 80 – 84 75+ 21 25 46 GOLD
2015 AMERICAN MASTERS 80 – 84 75+ 22 26 48 GOLD
NEW ENGLAND MASTERS RECORDS – WOMEN
AGE GR0UP WT CL SN CJ TOTAL DATE
65 – 69 75+ (25) (32.5) (57.5) (2002 – 2016)
70 – 74 75 28 35 63 2005
75+ 27 33 60 2007
*75 – 79 75+ 27 34 61 2010
*80 – 84 75+ 21 26 47 2015
*ONLY WOMAN TO HOLD RECORDS IN 75 – 79, 80 – 84
AGE GROUP. OLDEST WOMAN TO COMPETE IN NELWC).
(BROKEN IN 2016)
AMERICAN MASTERS RECORDS – WOMEN
AGE GROUP WT CL SN CJ TOLAL DATE
65 – 69 75 27.5 37.5 65 2004
70 – 74 75 26 35 63 2005
75+ 27 32 59 2009
75 -79 75+ 27 31 58 2010
75+ 23 28 51 2012
*80 – 84 75+ 22 26 48 2015
* ONLY WOMAN TO HOLD RECORDS IN 80 – 84 AGE GROUP.
OLDEST WOMAN TO COMPETE IN AMERICAN MASTERS
NATIONAL MASTERS RECORDS – WOMEN
AGE GROUP WT CL SN CL TOYAL DATE
70 – 74 75 28 35 63 2005
75 – 79 75+ 27 (34) 61 ( 2010 – 2016)
* 80 – 84 75+ 21 25 46 2015
(BROKEN IN 2016)
* ONLY WOMAN TO HOLD RECORDS IN 80 – 84 AGE GROUP
OLDEST WOMEN TO COMPETE IN NATIONAL MASTERS
PAN AMERICAN MASTERS RECORDS – WOMEN
AGE GROUP WT CL SN CJ TOTAL DATE
65 – 69 75 (27) – – (2002 – 2013)
(BROKEN IN 2013)
WORLD MASTERS GAMES RECORDS – WOMEN
AGE GROUP WT CL SN CJ TOTAL DATE
65 – 69 75 (25) (35) (60) (2005 – 2013)
(BROKEN IN 2013)
WORLD MASTERS RECORDS – WOMEN
AGE GROUP WT CL SN CJ TOTAL DATE
65 – 69 75 (27) – – (2002 – 2013)
(BROKEN IN 2013)