Boady Santavy Interview

Boady Santavy is one of the brightest representatives from North America. He’s been consistently in the TOP-6 strongest athletes at 96 kg weight category and demonstrates cool competitive performance on the platform with no less spectacular training lifts shown off his IG account over 3 years!

Boady’s had experience playing in international competitions since 2013 (from the age of 16) and during this period he managed to win a fairly solid number of titles.

Here are some examples: 

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• Pan American Youth Championship 2014 – 1-st place
• Commonwealth Games 2018 – 2-nd place
• Pan American Games 2019 – 2-nd place
• World Cup 2020 – 2-nd place
• Pan American Championship 2020 – 2-nd place
• Olympic Games 2020 – 4-th place, his Snatch 178 kg was the best in 96 w/c
• Commonwealth Championship 2021 – 1-st place
• World Championship 2021 – 4-st place, and silver medal in Snatch – 178 kg

It seems that weightlifting was in Boody’s blood long before he even knew. His grandfather was a famous Canadian athlete who competed at two Olympic Games (​​Mexico City 1968, Montreal 1970) and also won a bronze medal at the Pan American Games in Mexico City in 1975. 

When we talked to Boady after his performance at the 2021 World Championships in Tashkent, it became clear why he’s so successful. His father Dallas (2005 World Championship) is also a professional weightlifter and trained him since childhood for this moment—the younger brother Noah even has an international career on Canada’s national team!

    Boady 2021 World Championship results:

• Snatch: 172, 176, 178 (bronze medal)
• C&J: 201, 206, 207 (13th)
• Total: 4th place.

How do you feel after the performance?

I was so excited to win my first medal at the World Championships. After competing at such an intense level for so long without rest after Olympic Games. I approached these competitions not being fully prepared, but even then I managed to come away with something positive from them.

What is the reason for the break? Have you planned to prepare for the Worlds?

My weightlifting career has been one long series of training sessions. For the last 3 years, I’ve never taken a break from lifting weights and it’s caused me to feel like my body needs some time off too! initially, we did not plan to perform at these competitions. But 2 months before the start, my coach said that I should participate. And since he’s also my dad: you know how many choices I  have 🙂

Based on your three successful attempts in the snatch and a bronze medal, are you satisfied with the snatch result?

Our ideal plan was to snatch 182 kg, but in the course of the competitive struggle, we went to the weights that provided the medal.

What was your mood like after the snatch performance?

I was excited to fight and believed in my strength. After the Olympic Games, I didn’t snatch more than 170 kg at training anymore! To lift 178 kg at the World Championship right after taking a break from intense workouts really encouraged me forward. Although, in truth, it is much easier to get back on track in snatch after a break than in a clean and jerk.

And what happened in the clean and jerk: was the bar too heavy or you could not “feel” the movement? (Boady managed only the first weight-201 kg, 206 and 207 were unsuccessful in the clean and jerk (in jerk)

This time I only coped with 201 kg, although my best training result is 212 kg. To be honest with you I’m ready for such weights in terms of strength and power, but didn’t manage to cope psychologically at these heavier ones… couldn’t bring myself up Powerful!!!

What do you think about your competitors?

It’s great that I get to compete with such talented athletes on the same platform. My friend Lesman Paredes has often trained alongside me in training camps over the years. I believe that worthy opponents help to grow and improve the result. I’ve been working on my own progress in the snatch for a long time, and Lesman set the bar high. Now he set another world record: this one at 187 kg! My next personal goal? 188kg of course 🙂 We’re all friends and I communicate with both Keidomar from Venezuela as well as Meso.

I would like to know more about your training. Mostly you post videos of your lifts out of the garage.

My dad rents an amazing space in the big warehouse -this is my training gym. There are 5 platforms in this room and it’s really cool!

You train all alone at the gym and upload the videos to social media — how does that make you feel?

In fact, I’m quite comfortable alone. Though the monotonous environment can be annoying at times and I try to change it with training camps several times a year by going there or flying into Aruba for some extra lifts with Lesman or Qatar with Meso. The best way to improve sportsmanship is by training with strong athletes who are always pushing you. 

What’s the secret to being calm and positive in everyday life, but super-aggressive on the platform? How do you manage to switch between normal life and the platform?

Indeed, the way I work with a barbell is through aggression. Getting angry for weightlifters has been very important.

When do you start being agressive  for competitions: on the platform or in the warm-up room?

Every time I start my barbell warm-up and push myself to the peak of concentration for competitive sets, it feels like a battle and I get angry immediately. 

Do you work in the same mood in training? 

Similarly: from the beginning to the end of the main part of the workout, especially on hard days. I’m also aggressive in the clean and jerk, but it’s not so noticeable because I try to be more “in myself”. When competing in the clean and jerk, you are already very tired so your breath can get out of control. This is why I sit down with a towel on my head to calm myself but instead wind up even more excited!

Do you piss yourself off with self-tuning, music or something else?

Music always helps, but even without music, I always tune in perfectly to aggression. Since childhood and into adulthood the performances of weightlifters who are aggressive during their workouts have fascinated me greatly.

Who are your favorite weightlifting idols from the past?

Alexander Kurlovich, Pyrros Dimas, Vasily Alexeev, David Rigert. Of the more modern ones, I have always admired the performance of the Belarusian Andrey Rybakov.

By the way, Pнrros Dimas was your competition coach at this World Championship, how did it happen?

Since my father could not be with me, he asked Pyrros to help, since they are friends. I am sure that for any athlete it is a dream to perform under the guidance of a legend. I’ve been a fan since childhood! I’m a little upset that I didn’t perform in the best shape. But with his help, I won my first medal at the World Championships. So for me, it’s fantastic!

Do you have any idols from today’s top athletes? 

I respect all the athletes and I will not say that I am someone’s fan. In fact, my goal is to become the best and real champion!

How is weightlifting developing in Canada?

Definitely, it’s developing. In my opinion, as in the whole world, thanks to fitness. Of course, we are not yet at the same level of popularity as in the US. For example, weightlifting is already in the Quebec school system, but, unfortunately, not in all states, as we would like.

What are your plans for the future?

I want to win as many medals in the international arena as I can manage. And I want to raise the standard of weightlifting in Canada to be the best weightlifter ever. I have at least 2 more Olympic Games in my plans, and I want to stand on the podium there!