Commonwealth Games weightlifting champion Zoe Smith admits she will be looking for a personal best performance after being named in the team for the 2015 World Championships.

Smith took the -58kg title in Glasgow last year after managing 118kg in the clean and jerk to set a Games record of 210kg.

However illness and injuries have restricted her progress since with next month’s competition in Houston, America from November 20-28 representing her first major international since the Commonwealth Games.

"My focus, first and foremost will be on giving my all and improving my personal bests," said Smith.

She is named as part of an eight-strong team, with Britain’s youngest ever senior champion Rebekah Tiler – fourth at Glasgow 2014 and winner of gold at this year’s Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa – also on the team.

Emily Godley, Sarah Davies and Mercy Brown make up the remainder of the women’s team while Gareth Evans, Jack Oliver and Sonny Webster will go in the men’s competition.

British Weightlifting performance director Tommy Yule said: "The competition provides an exceptional opportunity for our athletes to amass greater experience of competing on the international stage in advance of next year's Olympic Games."

© Sportsbeat 2015

 
05.10.2015 Trott and Wiggins lead way at Euros

image: http://www.weareengland.org/image-cache/Laura%20Trott_[2132]_465_235_0.jpg

Laura Trott

Commonwealth champion Laura Trott and four-time silver medallist Bradley Wiggins will lead the line for Great Britain after being named in the team for the European Track Cycling Championships in Grenchen, Switzerland.

The competition takes place from October 14-18 and includes a host of stellar names with individual pursuit Commonwealth champion Joanna Rowsell-Shand also included.

Great Britain Cycling team technical director Shane Sutton has also called on the services of Jess Varnish and Jason Kenny but Ed Clancy misses out through injury.

But Sutton believes the inclusion of Wiggins will be a huge boost for the whole team and is looking forward to some strong performances.

“We’ve selected a strong squad for this year’s European Championships,” he said. “With the Olympic Games in Rio now less than a year away it’s a great opportunity to secure some vital qualifying points.

“We saw some really promising performances at the British Cycling National Track Championships and the Europeans provide a good chance to put the talent out there and pit themselves against the best in the world.

“Having Bradley Wiggins there for the whole squad is a plus. If you want to go into big battles, you need big leaders and Brad is a big leader. He’s won the Tour, he’s won everything in cycling so it’s good for the squad he is going.”

© Sportsbeat 2015


Read more at http://www.weareengland.org/home/news/trott-and-wiggins-lead-way-at-euros?returnlink=home/news%3fsitesectionid%3d115%26sitesectiontitle%3dNews#8PyjWC3qdUrKLehp.99
 
05.10.2015 Trott and Wiggins lead way at Euros

image: http://www.weareengland.org/image-cache/Laura%20Trott_[2132]_465_235_0.jpg

Laura Trott

Commonwealth champion Laura Trott and four-time silver medallist Bradley Wiggins will lead the line for Great Britain after being named in the team for the European Track Cycling Championships in Grenchen, Switzerland.

The competition takes place from October 14-18 and includes a host of stellar names with individual pursuit Commonwealth champion Joanna Rowsell-Shand also included.

Great Britain Cycling team technical director Shane Sutton has also called on the services of Jess Varnish and Jason Kenny but Ed Clancy misses out through injury.

But Sutton believes the inclusion of Wiggins will be a huge boost for the whole team and is looking forward to some strong performances.

“We’ve selected a strong squad for this year’s European Championships,” he said. “With the Olympic Games in Rio now less than a year away it’s a great opportunity to secure some vital qualifying points.

“We saw some really promising performances at the British Cycling National Track Championships and the Europeans provide a good chance to put the talent out there and pit themselves against the best in the world.

“Having Bradley Wiggins there for the whole squad is a plus. If you want to go into big battles, you need big leaders and Brad is a big leader. He’s won the Tour, he’s won everything in cycling so it’s good for the squad he is going.”

© Sportsbeat 2015


Read more at http://www.weareengland.org/home/news/trott-and-wiggins-lead-way-at-euros?returnlink=home/news%3fsitesectionid%3d115%26sitesectiontitle%3dNews#8PyjWC3qdUrKLehp.99