British weightlifter Emily Campbell became the first woman to win an Olympic medal in weightlifting, after she won silver in the women’s 63kg category.
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With a silver medal in the +87kg weightlifting event, Emily Campbell became the first British female weightlifter to win an Olympic medal.
Li Wenwen of China won gold with a new Olympic record of 320kg, while the 27-year-old hoisted a total of 283kg.
Campbell, who was competing in her first Olympic Games in Tokyo, was fourth after the snatch but moved up to third with clean and jerk lifts of 156 and 161 kg.
Sarah Robles of the United States won bronze with a total weight of 282kg.
“For the first time in my life, I am dumbfounded,” Campbell told Sport.
“You know you can get in shape for these things and you know you want to give it your all, but to really put it out on the stage, I’m ecstatic.”
She said, ” “You can do whatever you set your mind to. I took up a barbell for the first time five years ago and am now an Olympic silver medalist.”
Laurel Hubbard, a transgender athlete, has previously failed to record a successful lift. The New Zealander was the first openly transgender athlete to participate in an Olympic event in a gender category other than their birth gender.
Campbell’s total established new British and Commonwealth records, and it was the first Olympic medal for Great Britain in weightlifting since 1984.
Three years after earning bronze at the Commonwealth Games, she claimed European gold in April.
She told Athletics before the Tokyo Olympics that one of her main motivations was to “show that women who look like me can have great careers in sport.”
Since winning the Commonwealth medal, Nottingham-born Campbell has been contacted by a number of sponsors, all of which have backed out due to her clothing size.
She is attempting to change the image of clothing sizes in the realm of women’s fashion, and she has contacted sports companies in an attempt to persuade them to create clothes for women with larger bodies.
‘She comes from a family of grafters,’ says the narrator.
Campbell’s family, including her mother Linda and younger sister Kelsie, who had come in from Florida, were cheering her on from Nottingham.
“It was anxiety and excitement,” Linda said. “Once she got the first lift in, I was like,’she’s got this.’”
“We’ve always gotten them engaged in everything, even when they were very little. She was passionate about sports and solely went into weightlifting for the athletics. She discovered her niche, love, and passion in weightlifting.”
Kelsie will never forget seeing her older sister become the first British woman to win an Olympic gold in weightlifting.
“This is the most memorable day of my life. That’s my older sister over there. She is my pillar of support “she said
“She is always there for me.” I am aware of how hard she has toiled. I was anxious because I wanted it so much for her. I wanted to assist her in lifting them.
“Her message is that if you put your mind to it, you can be successful and become whatever you desire.”
“She comes from a family of hard workers, with parents who didn’t always have it easy but found a way to make it work. She has the potential to inspire children.”
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