Weightlifter Sonny Webster said competing at Rio 2016 had been “the most amazing experience” of his life after the University of Bath graduate made his Olympic debut on Saturday. And he also claimed an unusual record, becoming the first Olympic weightlifter to compete wearing a hat as he lifted 148kg in the snatch and 185kg in the clean and jerk for 333kg overall to finish sixth in Group B of the men’s 94kg competition. “That...
Weightlifter Sonny Webster has today been selected by Team GB for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games - just 24 hours after graduating from the University of Bath. Webster, who completed his three-year Sports Performance course this summer, will make his Olympic debut in the men’s 94kg division after being crowned as British Champion in that weight category earlier this month. The 22-year-old is one of only two weightlifters in the Team GB squad and will be joined in Rio by Rebekah...
University of Bath student Sonny Webster concluded an excellent year of competition by recording three personal bests at the IWF World Weightlifting Championships in the United States. The 21-year-old, who studies Sports Performance, competed in the men’s 94k C group in Houston and started in confident fashion by achieving a best-ever snatch lift of 151kg. He then set a new PB of 188kg with his third and final lift in the clean and jerk to...
Weightlifter Zoe Smith broke two British records as she boosted her chances of competing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games by securing a top-ten finish at the IWF World Championships in the United States. Commonwealth champion Smith, who does some of her training at the University of Bath Sports Training Village, lifted an overall total of 221kg – the most ever by a British woman in the -63kg weight category – as she placed ninth. The...
Commonwealth champion Zoe Smith and University of Bath student Sonny Webster have been named in a nine-strong British Weight Lifting team for next month’s IWF World Championships in the United States. Smith, who won under-58kg gold at Glasgow 2014 and also competed at the London 2012 Olympic Games, does some of her training at the Sports Training Village. “It’s the first time in nearly 30 years the Championships have taken place in the USA so...