Melanie Roach

Melanie Kosoff Roach is an Olympic weightlifter and business owner (Roach Gymnastics).

She was born on December 15, 1974, in The Dalles, Oregon. She was a gymnast until she dislocated her shoulder. After her surgery, she began to be interested in weightlifting and started training in 1994. Four years later she was considered the top in the United States. During the 2000 Olympic trials, she herniated a disc in her back and was placed on the team as an alternate. At the 2008 Olympics, she placed sixth in her weight class (117). Her combined lifts totaling 425.6 pounds broke the American record set in 2000. She continues to hold the American record in the 53-kilo weight class for the clean and jerk (113 kilos set in 1998).

She was a gold medalist several times in the US Nationals: 1998–2000, 2003, 2006–2008. She was a bronze medalist in the 2007 Pan Am Games and a bronze medalist is the 2006 Pan Am Championships.

She retired in 2008 but In 2016, she was the oldest competitor in the USA Weightlifting National Championship and the US Olympic trials.

Roach is married to Dan Roach who served four terms in the Washington House of Representatives (2001-2010). He is chairman of the Pierce County Council until 2018. They have five children. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.