{{Short description|British weightlifter (born 1994)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Emily Campbell | birth_name = | image = | caption = | nationality = British | sport = Weightlifting | event = | club = Atlas Weightlifting Club | coach = Cyril Martin | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|5|6|df=yes}} | birth_place = Nottingham, England | hometown = Nottingham, England | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = Leeds Beckett University | height = 1.765 m<ref name=hw>{{cite web |url=https://teamengland.org/team-england-athletes/emily-campbell|website=teamengland.org|access-date=16 August 2021 |publisher=Commonwealth Games England|title=Emily Campbell – Weightlifting}}</ref> | weight = 112 kg<ref name=hw/> | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Women's weightlifting}} {{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}} {{MedalOlympic}} {{MedalSilver|2020 Tokyo|+87 kg}} {{MedalBronze|2024 Paris|+81 kg}} {{MedalComp|World Championships}} {{MedalSilver|2022 Bogota|+87 kg}} {{MedalBronze|2021 Tashkent|+87 kg}} {{MedalComp|European Championships}} {{MedalGold|2021 Moscow|+87 kg}} {{MedalGold|2022 Tirana|+87 kg}} {{MedalGold|2023 Yerevan|+87 kg}} {{MedalGold|2024 Sofia|+87 kg}} {{MedalGold|2025 Chișinău|+87 kg}} {{Medal|Gold|2026 Batumi|+86 kg}} {{MedalBronze|2019 Batumi|+87 kg}} {{MedalComp|European U23 Championships}} {{MedalSilver|2017 Durrës|+87 kg}} {{MedalCountry|{{ENG}}}} {{MedalComp|Commonwealth Games}} {{MedalGold|2022 Birmingham|+87 kg}} {{MedalBronze|2018 Gold Coast|+90 kg}} | show-medals = yes }}
'''Emily Campbell''' (born 6 May 1994) is a British weightlifter.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://results.gc2018.com/en/weightlifting/athlete-profile-n6031578-emily-campbell.htm |title=Emily Campbell |publisher=Gold Coast 2018 |accessdate=11 April 2018 |archive-date=12 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412145619/https://results.gc2018.com/en/weightlifting/athlete-profile-n6031578-emily-campbell.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Widely regarded as the most successful British female weightlifter of modern times, she is a Commonwealth and six-time European champion, and a double World and Olympic medalist.
In 2021, competing in the +87 kg category, Campbell became both European champion, and the first British woman to win an Olympic medal in the sport, with silver at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. In 2022 she retained her European title, won the gold medal at her home Commonwealth Games in a new Commonwealth Games record, and upgraded her 2021 World Championships bronze medal to a silver in Bogota.
In 2023, Campbell confirmed a hat-trick of three successive European titles, before in 2024 recreating her 2021 success, winning her fourth consecutive European title and her second Olympic medal, a bronze in the +81 kg category at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. In 2025 a fifth consecutive European title came, with a sixth following in 2026.
==Biography== Campbell is from the Snape Wood estate in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thirkill |first1=Stephen |title=Bulwell's Emily Campbell wins Olympic silver medal |url=https://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/other-sport/bulwells-emily-campbell-wins-olympic-silver-medal-3331561 |access-date=2 August 2021 |work=Hucknall Dispatch |date=2 August 2021}}</ref> She graduated from Leeds Beckett University with a Sports Science degree in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Blackall |first1=Molly |last2=Walker |first2=Amy |title=Tokyo Olympics: How two UK universities produced dozens of Team GB stars – and trained them over FaceTime |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/tokyo-olympics-2020-team-gb-athletes-leeds-beckett-loughborough-university-virtual-training-1138393 |access-date=7 August 2021 |work=inews |date=7 August 2021}}</ref>
Campbell competed in the women's +90 kg event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, winning the bronze medal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sobserver.ws/en/10_04_2018/sport/32035/Feagaiga-Stowers-secures-Samoa%E2%80%99s-second-gold-medal.htm |title=Feagaiga Stowers secures Samoa's second gold medal |work=Samoa Observer |accessdate=11 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://results.gc2018.com/en/weightlifting/event-schedule-women-s--plus-90kg.htm |title=Event Schedule - Women's +90kg |work=Gold Coast 2018 |access-date=11 April 2018 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202034650/https://results.gc2018.com/en/weightlifting/event-schedule-women-s--plus-90kg.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the following year she came third in the 2019 European Championships gaining another bronze medal. In early 2021 she became the European champion after winning in Moscow in the +87 kg category.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Moore|first=Joel|date=2021-08-01|title=Family of Bulwell's Olympic weightlifting star are 'so proud'|url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/were-proud-family-bulwells-olympic-5726410|access-date=2021-08-02|website=NottinghamshireLive}}</ref>
At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Campbell became the first British female weightlifter to win a medal at the Olympics, with a silver in the women's +87 kg event.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/58059401 |title=Tokyo Olympics: Emily Campbell becomes first British female weightlifter to win Olympic medal |work=BBC Sport |access-date=2 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="unstoppable_weightlifter_li_wins_again_as_britains_campbell_ends_37_year_medal_wait_2021">{{Cite news|last=Oliver|first=Brian|date=2 August 2021|title=Unstoppable weightlifter Li wins again as Britain's Campbell ends 37-year medal wait|work=InsideTheGames.biz|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1111131/weightlifting-li-china-tokyo-olympics|access-date=2 August 2021}}</ref><ref name="women_over_87_kg_weightlifting_summer_olympics_2020">{{Cite web|title=Women's +87 kg Results|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/resOG2020-/pdf/OG2020-/WLF/OG2020-_WLF_C73_WLFWO87KG-------------FNL---------.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802130705/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/resOG2020-/pdf/OG2020-/WLF/OG2020-_WLF_C73_WLFWO87KG-------------FNL---------.pdf|archive-date=2 August 2021|access-date=2 August 2021|work=Tokyo 2020 Olympics|publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games}}</ref> Later that year, she went on to earn a bronze medal at the World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.<ref>{{cite news |title=Emily Campbell: British weightlifter adds world bronze to Olympic silver and Euro gold |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/weightlifting/59695887 |access-date=24 December 2021 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=17 December 2021}}</ref><ref name="stunning_sweep_of_weightlifting_world_records_for_lasha_another_medal_for_britain_2021">{{Cite news|last=Oliver|first=Brian|date=17 December 2021|title=Stunning sweep of weightlifting world records for Lasha - and another medal for Britain|work=InsideTheGames.biz|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1116941/iwf-world-championships|access-date=18 December 2021}}</ref>
She won the gold medal in her event at the 2022 European Weightlifting Championships held in Tirana, Albania and retained her title, with a somewhat reduced lift, in 2023 in Yerevan, Armenia.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Oliver |first=Brian |date=5 June 2022 |title=Landmark golds for Britain's Campbell and Norway's Koanda at European Weightlifting Championships |work=InsideTheGames.biz |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1124096/campbell-konada-european-weightlifting |access-date=5 June 2022}}</ref><ref name="results_book_european_weightlifting_championships_2022">{{Cite web |title=2022 European Weightlifting Championships Results Book |url=https://ewf.sport/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Results_Book_2022_European_ALB.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220606070924/https://ewf.sport/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Results_Book_2022_European_ALB.pdf |archive-date=6 June 2022 |access-date=6 June 2022 |website=European Weightlifting Federation}}</ref>
The British Olympic Association chose Campbell as Team GB's only weightlifter at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the +81 kg category.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hinds |first=Rodney |date=July 2024 |title=Emily in Paris: Campbell is GB's sole weightlifter |work=The Voice |pages=47}}</ref> At the Games she won a bronze medal setting a new combined personal best of 288 kg in the process.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/c33ndm1vg6eo|title=Campbell wins final GB medal of Paris Olympics|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=11 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/nottingham-british-china-paris-b2594661.html|title=Emily Campbell launches cartwheel celebration after bagging Olympic bronze|publisher=The Independent|accessdate=11 August 2024}}</ref>
Back at the +87 kg category, Campbell won her fifth consecutive European title in Chișinău, Moldova, in April 2025 with a combined total of 281 kg. She is the first British lifter to achieve this feat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/weightlifting/articles/cp8v2e0np49o|title=Britain's Campbell wins fifth European title|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=22 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://britishweightlifting.org/article/emily-campbell-makes-history-with-fifth-consecutive-european-weightlifting-title|title=Emily Campbell Makes History with Fifth Consecutive European Weightlifting Title|publisher=British Weightlifting|accessdate=22 April 2025}}</ref>
In July 2025, Campbell was awarded an honorary doctorate by her former university, Leeds Beckett for her service to sport and advocacy for inclusion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c07d21zky0eo|title=University honours 'inspirational' Olympians|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=17 July 2025}}</ref>
== Achievements ==
{|class = "wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! rowspan=2 width=40 | Year ! rowspan=2 width=250 | Venue ! rowspan=2 width=60 | Weight ! colspan=4 | Snatch (kg) ! colspan=4 | Clean & Jerk (kg) ! rowspan=2 width=65 | Total ! rowspan=2 width=40 | Rank |- ! width=65 | 1 ! width=65 | 2 ! width=65 | 3 ! width=45 | Rank ! width=65 | 1 ! width=65 | 2 ! width=65 | 3 ! width=45 | Rank |- ! colspan=13 | Olympic Games |- | 2020 || align=left | Tokyo, Japan || +87 kg || 118 || <s>122</s> || '''122''' || {{n/a}} || 150 || 156 || '''161''' || {{n/a}} || '''283''' || {{silver2}} |- | 2024 || align=left | Paris, France || +81 kg || 119|| 123|| '''126''' || {{n/a}} || '''162'''|| <s>169</s>|| <s>174</s> || {{n/a}} || '''288''' || {{bronze3}} |- ! colspan=13 | World Championships |- | 2018 || align=left | Ashgabat, Turkmenistan || +87 kg || 104 || '''108''' || <s>111</s> || 12 || 136 || '''140''' || <s>143</s> || 13 || '''248''' || 14 |- | 2019 || align=left | Pattaya, Thailand || +87 kg || '''114''' || <s>118</s> || <s>118</s> || 13 || 145|| 149|| '''153''' || 9 || '''267''' || 9 |- | 2021 || align=left | Tashkent, Uzbekistan || +87 kg || 115 || 118 || '''121''' || {{bronze3}} || <s>155</s> || '''157''' || <s>162</s> || {{silver2}} || '''278''' || {{bronze3}} |- | 2022 || align=left | Bogotá, Colombia || +87 kg || 119 || '''122''' || <s>125</s> || 5 || <s>157</s> || 161 || '''165''' || {{silver2}} || '''287''' || {{silver2}} |- | 2023 || align=left | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |+87 kg | colspan="10" |''did not enter'' |- |2024 |align=left | Manama, Bahrain |+87 kg |118 |<s>120</s> |— |4 |— |— |— |— |'''NM''' |— |- | 2025 || align=left | Førde, Norway || +86 kg || '''115''' || <s>118</s> || <s>119</s> || 4 || '''153''' || <s>158</s> ||<s>159</s> || 4 || '''268''' || 4 |- ! colspan=13 | European Championships |- | 2019 || align=left | Batumi, Georgia || +87 kg || 108 || <s>112</s> || '''115''' || {{bronze3}} || 140 || '''145''' || <s>150</s> || {{bronze3}} || '''260''' || {{bronze3}} |- | 2021 || align=left | Moscow, Russia || +87 kg || 115 || 117 || '''122''' || {{gold1}} || 145 || 150 || '''154''' || {{gold1}} || '''276''' || {{Gold1}} |- | 2022 || align=left | Tirana, Albania || +87 kg || 110 || 114 || '''118''' || {{gold1}} || 142 || 148 || '''153''' || {{gold1}} || '''271''' || {{gold1}} |- | 2023 || align=left | Yerevan, Armenia || +87 kg || <s>110</s> || <s>110</s> || '''110''' || 4 || 136 || '''143''' || — || {{gold1}} || '''253''' || {{gold1}} |- | 2024 || align=left | Sofia, Bulgaria || +87 kg || '''112''' || <s>116</s> || <s>116</s> || {{silver2}} || 146 || '''151''' || — || {{gold1}} || '''263''' || {{gold1}} |- | 2025 || align=left | Chișinău, Moldova || +87 kg || 112 || 116 || '''120''' || {{gold1}} || 150 || 156 || '''161''' || {{gold1}} || '''281''' || {{gold1}} |- |2026 | align="left" |Batumi, Georgia | +86 kg |<s>114</s> |114 |'''117''' |{{Bronze3}} |151 |155 |'''159''' |{{Gold1}} |'''276''' |{{Gold1}} |- ! colspan="13" |Commonwealth Games |- |2018 |align=left|Gold Coast, Australia |+90 kg |<s>99</s> |99 |'''103''' |— |<s>129</s> |129 |'''139''' |— |'''242''' |{{Bronze3}} |- |2022 |align=left|Birmingham, England |+87 kg |117 |121 |'''124 GR''' |— |152 |157 |'''162 GR''' |— |'''286 GR''' |{{Gold1}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{sports links|maxlink=10}} * {{Team England|emily-campbell}} * {{2018 Commonwealth Games profile|weightlifting/athlete-profile-n6031578-emily-campbell}} * {{2022 Commonwealth Games profile|57784}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, Emily}} Category:1994 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of Leeds Beckett University Category:English female weightlifters Category:Sportspeople from Nottingham Category:Weightlifters at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Category:Weightlifters at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for England Category:European Weightlifting Championships medalists Category:Weightlifters at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:Weightlifters at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic weightlifters for Great Britain Category:Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain Category:Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain Category:Olympic medalists in weightlifting Category:Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:Sportspeople from Bulwell Category:English Olympic competitors Category:Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Category:Medallists at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Category:21st-century English sportswomen Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in weightlifting Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in weightlifting