Jodey: I’ll be back for medal next time
Inspired by atmosphere of Games
East Kilbride’s Jodey Hughes claimed a top ten finish on her Commonwealth debut and has vowed to bring home a medal from the 2022 Games in Birmingham.
The 35-year-old, from The Murray, finished ninth in the 58kg category on the Gold Coast just four years after taking up weightlifting.
Jodey made two out of six lifts, raising 70kg successfully in the snatch and 90kg in the clean and jerk, on a creditable debut.
But the buzz of competing and hearing the Scottish fans cheering her on has made her hungry for another crack at glory.
She told the News: “I still can’t believe I’m able to say that I’ve competed at the Commonwealth Games for Scotland.
“The stage seemed super-intimidating but as soon as I got out there I saw so many Scottish flags and heard everyone shouting and cheering for me. That really gave me the confidence to be able to get out there and perform.
“I was hoping for a whole lot more but I’m very happy with my performance. I left everything I had on that stage.
“The atmosphere was incredible and hearing everyone out there shouting my name was the best moment of my life.
“I put my last four years into training every single day, both mentally and physically.
“I have way more to give and just reflecting back on what I’ve achieved in this short space of time makes me even more motivated for the next games.
“I’m coming back for a medal in Birmingham. It’s not long until then so I’m really keen to get back to training as soon as possible.”
Jodey had been training at Crossfit East Kilbride in preparation for the Games and last week she told how watching the 2014 Games in Glasgow gave her the belief she could compete on the international stage.
Now she hopes her efforts have inspired other women to follow in her footsteps.
Jodey added: “I’m hoping that more girls will give weightlifting and Crossfit a try after seeing the exposure from the Commonwealth Games.
“It is such a fun sport and the sense of accomplishment that you feel when you hit a personal best is unlike any other feeling.
“For me it’s knowing that every single kilo that I lift was earned and there’s no short cuts, just hard work.
“I feel so incredibly blessed to have so much support from everyone in East Kilbride and seeing the success of the rest of Team Scotland has really motivated me.”