'I'll always have fire as long as the list isn't complete'

Team GB weightlifter Emily Campbell is focused on gold

- LAWRENCE OSTLERE

"Everyone's beatable," says Emily Campbell, which is a bolder statement than it might first sound. Campbell is the only female Olympic medallist in the history of British weightlifting after winning silver in Tokyo three years ago. But her conqueror there was the Chinese phenomenon Li Wenwen, a 24st colossus of furious strength, and they clash again in Paris.

At 24, Li is already twice a world champion and holds world records in both snatch and clean & jerk. At her best, competing with Li is a bit like trying to outrun peak Usain Bolt. Li showed some weakness at last year’s World Championships and pulled out with an elbow injury, but she appears back to full strength this season.

Campbell is undeterred. “Nothing’s a given. If there’s an opportunity for me to win that gold on the day, you know that my team will put it on the bar and I will give it my best crack. Hopefully, I’ll stand up with it.”

Campbell carries the weight of British hopes on her shoulders in Paris as the nation’s only entrant in the sport. She has achieved almost everything there is to achieve – European champion, Commonwealth champion, plus world and Olympic silver medals – but there is still work to do, still medals of a golden hue left to grasp.

“I’ve always had a list of goals that I wanted to tick off,” she says. “I’m nearly there, I’ve nearly done them, but the list is not complete. And as long as the list is not complete, I’m always going to have that fire.”

Her rise has been fuelled by a positive outlook on life and on sport. Campbell has been the victim of online abuse and body shaming along the way, and has risen above it to become an inspirational figure who exudes body positivity, proud to be one of the most powerful women on the planet.