Against The Odds, Moore Special Olympics Powerlifter Brings Home 4 Medals At USA Games

Madi Madory just got back from the Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando where she dominated powerlifting.  

“I started at Westmore and then my teacher told me to start powerlifting and I loved it,” said Madi Madory, Special Olympics power lifter.  

Maddog Madory as she is known in competition, started powerlifting nine years ago.  

“We were doing scheduling for the next semester, and she suggested Madison be in the weightlifting class. And I just kind of laughed at her,” said Angela Madory, Madison’s mother and coach.  

That decision sparked a passion in Madi. 

“She’s so good at it, it’s just exciting to watch her do it and she has a smile on her face all the time,” said Angela. “She’s just about winning. She enjoys the athletic part of it, the working out the staying healthy, but the competition is so exciting.”  

Madison is part of team I Life, a group of friends that compete together in Special Olympics.  

“Warmups, free weights, and then the bar, and then machines, and treadmill,” said Madison.  

Madi was picked to participate in the Special Olympic Games in Orlando. The pandemic caused them to be delayed. 

“But because of COVID, you know a lot of us stayed home, and we’ve all put on some weight,” said Angela.  

The 4’6” powerhouse normally competes at under 95 pounds, but at 96 pounds she would have to compete in a higher weight class.  

“Those girls in her weight class, they were pulling a lot of weight,” said Angela.  

Madison was by far the smallest person in her division and came close to not medaling.  

“The only way that she would have medaled is if we just pushed her to a limit that she had never pulled before,” said Angela.  

But they do call her Maddog.  

“We pushed her to a personal best of 126.5 and so she pulled it,” said Angela.  

“I got gold on bench, and I got bronze on squat, and on dead lift and on overall,” said Madison.  

Four medals from the USA games in powerlifting as the smallest person in her division, lifting more than she weighs.  

“We were all going nuts, we were screaming and hollering it was a very exciting time,” said Angela.    

Madison is doing light workouts for the summer, before her and the team start preparing for the Winter Games.  

When she’s not working out, she makes appearances promoting the Special Olympics. Visit her Facebook page to find out where she will be next.