England’s Emily Campbell wins weightlifting gold at Commonwealth Games after record-breaking display

England’s Emily Campbell turned in a stunning performance to take gold in the +87kg weighlifting event at the Commonwealth Games.

The 28-year-old from Nottingham broke records in both the snatch and the clean and jerk lifts to finish with an overall Games-record total of 286kg.

That was enough to see off Feagaiga Stowers, the defending champion from Samoa, who could only manage a combined 268kg.

“I’m absolutely elated,” Campbell said.

“I knew this was going to be a tough competition, I knew the Samoan [Stowers] wasn’t going to hand it to me on a plate.

“I knew I had to work for it, but I said whatever I needed to lift to win that gold medal, I was going to do it.”

In front of a raucous crowd at the NEC, Campbell looked pumped up throughout and swung her belt around her head after her final 162kg lift in the clean and jerk.

Charisma Amoe-Tarrant of Australia took the bronze but struggled to keep pace with Campbell and Stowers, who battled step-for-step throughout until Campbell outlasted her 21-year-old opponent.

It’s the latest medal in Campbell’s glittering career which has seen her become an Olympic silver medallist at Tokyo 2020 and a two-time European champion.

Campbell was also one of two flag-bearers for the opening ceremony at the Birmingham 2022 event.

England currently lie second in the overall Games medal table with 89 – including 33 golds – to Australia’s 109.