Melissa Parks became a Canadian weightliftin champion by accident. If she had not felt that she needed more conditioning for her other sports, she would never have been exposed to weightlifting and got to the national stage. In 2001 & 2000 she won gold in the 44 & 48kg categories. In 2002 she won the Canadian Junior championship in the 48kg class and set a new provincial junior record in the 44kg class.
In 2003 she won the Canadian Juniors, was ranked #1 in the Commonwealth and named to the Canadian Pan-Am Games youth team where she won gold in the 48kg class.
In 2004, she again captured the Canadian Junior title. She also won the Canadian Seniors and, at 17, became the youngest competitor to win the championship. She repeated this performance in 2005. In total, Melissa captured 16 golds a the Provincial & National levels while setting Provincial Junior & Senior records in the 44, 48 & 53kg levels.
From involvment in the sport of weightlifting, she went on to a post-secondary level of training in strength & conditioning. She has a Bachelor of Physical Health & Education degree and teaches at the local level.
Melissa Ladouceur Parks is North Bay’s most decorated weightlifting champion.