Sport-by-sport - Weightlifting
Michaela Breeze
Getty images
Related content
| Chairman | Sarah Rowell/David Pendleton | |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executive | Steve Cannon | |
| Performance Director | Fiona Lothian |
Sport Profile
| Funding Award (2009-2013) | £1,365,157 |
| Best London 2012 Performance | 1 x 10th. 1 x 12th. |
| Athletes on World Class Performance Programme | 5 |
| Past Performances | |
| Press Officer | Frazer Snowdon |
| Press Officer tel | 0845 230 0803/ 07866 004 382 |
| Website | http://www.britishweightlifting.org/ |
| National governing body | World Class Lifting - In association with British Weightlifting Association |
“The support we receive from the National Lottery makes a tremendous difference to our athletes. Many are now training full-time and under the guidance of performance coaches and specialist support staff, which enables them to focus 100 per cent on their sport goals and increases their chances of success at London 2012.”
British Weightlifting Performance Manager Fiona Lothian
Weightlifting received public funding for the first time for the London cycle (2009-13) following a decision backed by Government to give every sport the chance to build a sustainable legacy from hosting the Olympic Games.
When London won the right to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 UK Sport was asked to submit a range of funding options for sports.
The Government responded in March 2006, by announcing an additional 2012 performance funding package of £300 million, £200million from public funding, with a further £100m to be found from the private sector.
UK Sport moved quickly to increase funding for those sports already part of its performance pathway and bring a number of new sports onto the pathway including weightlifting.
This decision means British Weightlifting will receive £1.3million over the 2009-13 funding cycle to help it build a lasting legacy from London 2012.
Since then weightlifting has developed a new training facility at Leeds Metropolitan University. This is a facility that has been specifically designed for Olympic weightlifting and Paralympic powerlifting and is one of the few placed in the UK which can host weightlifting and powerlifting squad camps.
The investment has also given British Weightlifting the chance to build a world class performance system to identify and support athletes for the future. Five athletes currently receive development funding, including Commonwealth bronze medallist Zoe Smith.
Since 2011 Smith has been steadily improving, training full time since February 2012. Smith lifted the Olympic A standard in the 58 kg weight when finishing fourth in the European Championships in April 2012 and has since been selected as part of the five-strong GB team for London 2012.
The UK Sport Coaching team also supported an induction and performance development process for five newly appointed coaches to the Weightlifting and Powerlifting team.
Did You Know?
Zoe Smith started as gymnast and only tried weightlifting when she was asked to help make up the numbers on a team during a tournament at her local gym
*Accurate as of May 2012
Selected athletes:
Zoe Smith
Natasha Perdue
Peter Kirkbride
Jack Oliver
Gareth Evans
