SILVER & GOALS
Community comes first for Emily
OLYMPIC medallist Emily Campbell is aiming to turn silver into gold this summer.
But the Paris-bound weightlifting star says she is equally determined to speak out around body image issues and encourage the next generation to follow in her footsteps.
Nottingham-based Campbell was second to Chinese superstar Li Wenwen in Tokyo three years ago.
The Brit has since won four straight European 87kg+ titles on top of a Commonwealth gold and will expect to be on the podium again in August.
And that, the 29-year-old hopes, will give her a platform to ramp up her community work.
She is partnering with a National Lottery-backed initiative called Changemakers and said: “It’s very hard not to get excited. These Games will be a home away from home, although my training at the moment isn’t exciting.
“When you step out of the gym, you notice it though. And this campaign is another level of what we’re trying to do with the legacy of Paris.”
Her ambition is “to empower more children and young females, specifically, to be strong, healthy and confident by having positive conversations about body image.”
Campbell says there are still too many “outdated opinions around female appearance and health” but she has learned to deal with the occasional nasty message on social media.
“There will always be the negatives, that’s the way of the world we live in,” she says.
To help block it out, she surrounds herself with “people who motivate and push me in the right direction” and feels a huge sense of gratitude to her local community.
Campbell grew up on the Snape Wood estate in Nottingham, one of the most deprived areas in the East Midlands.
“People used to say horrible things about our community but we all looked after each other,” she added. “When I got the profile I did, I realised I could make a difference here.
“The help of my community is why I’ve made it so it’s important for me to give back in whatever way I can.
“It’s not about me forcing the world to do weightlifting but it is about reaching out to the one who wants to give it a go.
“My advice to people is to give it a go. I’m here because I gave it a go. What’s the worst that can happen?”