Britain boasts a weightlifting team with great potential ahead of 2012, and while all eyes were on ‘Britain’s strongest schoolgirl’ Zoe Smith last year in Delhi, 22-year-old Helen Jewell shows she is one to watch in the lead up to the London Games.
The Plymouth athlete who finished ninth at 2010′s Commonwealth Games has been competing for almost a decade and become a regular face in team GB.
Helen first started weightlifting in 2002 aged 13 when new teacher Michaela Breeze enticed her and a friend to join a session. Michaela has been her coach ever since.
Growing up on a farm she was always sporty and with good natural strength she progressed rapidly in weightlifting, a sport stereotyped as a manly activity.
“My first session was awful! I could hardly get the correct position! I have come so far going from the basics and now representing my country at senior internationals. Competing at the Commonwealths last year and now I am looking ahead to 2012, which is anyone’s dream.”
After finishing her degree last summer Helen moved to Leeds where the national centre is based. Working as a physiotherapist and with minimum sponsorship, Helen is having to balance work and training, and maintain her dream of competing at the 2012 Olympics in sight.
“I do a double session three days a week and a single session on the other days, with one day off a week. This will give me a good run up to the Olympics and give me the very best chance of making it.”
Working from 8-5 at an out-patients unit and often adding extra work on a Saturday morning to her schedule, Helen has clearly sacrificed a lot to achieve her dream.
“What’s suffered most is my social life as I have little time outside of work and training, but I have good organisational skills and keep in touch with my friends. If I am able to go to the Olympics it is a once in a lifetime thing and I will put everything in to it. My good friends have been there for me and hopefully they will be after.”
At just 22, her greatest achievement is competing in Delhi last year, the biggest multi-sport event both India and Helen had ever experienced.
With the European seniors this April in Russia: hosting over 200 athletes, representing 32 countries, this will be Helen’s next big competition. The British Championships in July will also be an important date in the weightlifting calendar, a competition in which she won the 58kg category last summer, along with the European U23s in September and the World Weightlifting Championships the following month.
With an impressive list of international events under her belt Helen takes great pride in representing her country.The former Ivybridge Community College student produced a snatch of 77kg with a clean and jerk of 93kg giving her a total of 170kg in Delhi, and with just over a year to go until London Helen is gearing everything towards the Games.
“I am trying to work on the things I can control to give myself the best chance of going as I possibly can. I will only get the one chance of competing at the Olympics on home soil and after all the years I have trained it will make it all worthwhile.”
“London 2012 will be a once in a lifetime opportunity, especially in your home country and it will be great to get support from British citizens. It will be overwhelming with everyone backing us and that is all we can ask for. There really won’t be anything quite like it.”
Helen’s coach Michaela, who is known as the most successful British woman weightlifter of her generation, has been the main inspiration behind the 22-year-old’s career. Breeze won gold and silver for Wales at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 and then came first again four years later in Australia.
“Michaela taught me to identify my own mistakes and how to correct them. Sometimes I am too critical of myself but you need a balance. We have a good group and to see Michaela training really showed me what was achievable. It was incredible when I was younger seeing her lifting those weights, I always thought oh my god I’ll never be able to do that!”
Helen is keen to promote weightlifting as it is a sport not many know much about, as well as gain a good spectator base for the games.
What tips would you give younger people who want to get involved?
“Have a go! You do need a certain mentality and it’s not as easy as it looks but perseverance pays off. Get stuck in and have a go as we need all the people we can get in the sport. Try it with a group of friends and enjoy it!”
“Weightlifting is unbelievable to watch. It is a matter of you and the bar, there is a very fine line between what is successful and what is not so there is always that uncertainty. It is incredible watching women lifting double their bodyweight.”
Emma Paton, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
Tickets for London 2012 are available now via www.tickets.london2012.com up until April 26.
Image credit: British Weightlifting
