Zoe Smith celebrates weightlifting silver medal while Fraer Morrow sets new PB and British record

LOUGHBOROUGH College’s Zoe Smith has taken silver after a stellar display in the women’s 63kg weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games.

Zoe became the first Englishwoman ever to win a Commonwealth Games weightlifting medal when she was only 16. Two years later, at the London Olympics, she took the British record in the Women’s 58kg division and in 2014 she won Commonwealth gold and secured the Games record in Glasgow.

But despite being favourite for GB’s only weightlifting place in the 2016 Olympics, she missed out after completing a snatch at the British Championships and losing the bar behind her head, dislocating her shoulder.

Speaking from the Gold Coast Zoe, who studies A-levels at Loughborough College, said: “That is one of the toughest competitions I’ve ever done so this has got to be one of my proudest moments, it’s up there.

“I’ve had maybe the worst competition prep of my life, I came back from shoulder surgery [in 2015] and set my best total in November to qualify to come here, then in my preparation was going really well until about three weeks ago when I had another back injury flare up which seems to happen to me regularly, and I’ve not trained for three weeks.

“I got here and didn’t even know if I’d be on the platform two hours ago, I’ve rested for about five days and literally not touched a bar so it has been manic. I’m over the moon - I just didn’t expect to be on that podium.

“I’ve made a few changes in my personal life, so I’m now living in Loughborough, I’ve gone back to college to finish my A-levels at the grand old age of 23, and that’s after I lost my funding. I feel really blessed to be able to train there, and it’s obviously working. I’m enjoying life when I can.”

Fraer Morrow, making her Commonwealth Games debut, who lifted a personal best and broke a British record in the 53kg weightlifting.

“The crowd was amazing today, I loved it. It’s the biggest crowd I’ve ever performed in front of as well. There’s no words to describe how I am feeling getting to perform here, It’s the biggest competition I’ve ever been in and being around all the different athletes is a really different experience,” said the Loughborough College sport student, who finished in 5th place.

“I think I could have done even better but I am always going to think that. If I had got that last snatch then that would have been the perfect day but it’s my first Commonwealth Games and I’m still only 19 so I can settle for five lifts from six.

“I’m still a junior lifter so there’s still that to come but my aim is the Olympics as the next big event which I need to try and get the points I need. They can put me in any competition and I’ll do it.”