Weightlifting: Sheffield's Jenny Tong targets success

Jenny, who is a coach and lifter with Hallam Barbell Weightlifting Club, not only broke a British Record earlier in the year but has also completed a politics degree at Sheffield University.

And she has been selected for the England Development Weightlifting Squad, which includes a handful of weightlifters who have the potential to win medals at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Jenny, who weighs just 53 kilos lifted 78 kilos overhead in the ‘Snatch’ and then 85 kilos in the ‘Clean and Jerk’ at the British Student Championships in April this year.

She starts her Commonwealth Games campaign later this month in Poland at the World Student Games before competing at the European U23s competition in October.

Looking forward to the challenge of the Commonweath Games in Birmingham, Jenny told the website forgetoday.com: “What more could you want then a home games? If I can get myself there and lift in front of a home crowd I’ll be forever happy.”

Meanwhile, Hallam Barbell Club is 10 years old this year and runs a variety of programmes alongside weightlifting.

The club involves children with its ‘Strength and Fitness Programme’, ‘Powerbelle’ – running strength training for women by women, ‘MindfullySTRONG’ – integrating Mindfulness and Strength training, and ‘Strength 4 Life’ – strength training and fitness for older adults and ‘Old Age Strengtheners’.

The club won Yorkshire's best amateur sport club award last November and was shortlisted for a national mental health and sport award in March.

Last month Barbell Club’s head coach Dave Hemborough won national coach of the year award with the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA).

Anybody interested in any of Hallam Barbells programmes can contact the club on Facebook.