By Tynan Braymiller/ Delta Staff Writer

Two time national qualifier Logan Eden brought home two third place medals from this year’s championship in Salt Lake City. The event was held from March 4 to 7.

While competing, Eden power cleaned 225 pound’s and power snatched 185 pound’s to secure her two third place finishes. She said she wouldn’t have been able to do it without her coach.

Eden wasn’t always part of the power lifting team at Missouri Valley.

“I hadn’t really ever lifted until I came to college. My freshman year, my volleyball coach made us go do CrossFit as a team for spring season, and that’s when I got into it,” she said. “I did CrossFit for a couple of years, and then once Valley got a weightlifting program, I was lucky enough to get to join that and powerlifting.”

With changing sports in college it might come off difficult to make new friends or even maintain friends. For Eden this was not an issue. A good friend of hers Zachary Carlisle had many good things to say about her.

“She’s a good friend, she’s a positive person to anyone that meets her, she is a good friend to have,” Carlisle said, adding how great of a person she is and how strong she is. “She started lifting seriously second semester of my freshman year and immediately was doing weight for movements that some who have done the sport for years can’t do. Not to mention her complete hip labrum repair surgery that she had last spring, and she 6months later goes to weightlifting nationals and gets too 5, she is the strongest minded female I’ve ever met in my life. She’s an inspiration to whoever knows her.”

Gaining new friends with different sports is already hard enough, but gaining the respect of your new coach may come across a little harder for some. For Eden this was no issue. Michael Wilson is the weightlifting coach here and took Eden in with open arms. He described her with three words: “Hardworking, Approachable and Outstanding.”

“With her having surgery not too long ago and still able to do the things she did is amazing,” Wilson said. “She came into this sport not knowing anyone and has made an impact on her teammates in a positive way.” 

Eden is on a 10-year plan and is finishing up her fifth year this May. She plans on continuing her weight lifting and will keep working hard to bring home more medals.