Great Britain’s weightlifting team achieved remarkable success at the 2025 European Weightlifting Championships, with 11 athletes competing alongside Refugee Olympic Team member Ramiro Romero, who participated as a guest. The event saw historic performances, debut appearances, and a strong third-place finish for the women’s team.
Event Highlights
Day 1: 13 April – Women’s 49kg
Tammy Wong made her international debut in the 49kg category. She successfully completed three snatch attempts at 69kg, 72kg, and 74kg. In the clean and jerk, she lifted 87kg and 91kg, narrowly missing her final attempt at 94kg.
Nikole Roberts marked her European debut by successfully snatching 71kg and 73kg. In the clean and jerk, she lifted 85kg but was unable to complete her attempts at 87kg and 88kg.
Day 4: 16 April – Women’s 64kg
Sarah Davies, a Tokyo 2020 Olympian and Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist, clinched her first European title. She lifted 96kg in the snatch, placing sixth, but dominated the clean and jerk, lifting 127kg to secure gold in both the clean and jerk and the overall total, with a combined lift of 223kg.
Day 5: 17 April – Men’s 81kg
Chris Murray competed in Group B and demonstrated consistent performance with snatch lifts of 142kg, 146kg, and 149kg. In the clean and jerk, he lifted 170kg and 173kg, narrowly missing 177kg, ending with a total of 322kg.
Day 6: 18 April – Women’s 71kg & 76kg
Erin Barton (71kg) successfully snatched 94kg after an initial miss at 91kg. She lifted 121kg in the clean and jerk but could not complete her attempts at 125kg and 126kg.
Isabella Brown (76kg), making her European debut, impressed in Group B by snatching 97kg and 100kg. In the clean and jerk, she lifted 117kg, 120kg, and 123kg, earning a bronze medal in the snatch from Group B.
Day 7: 19 April – Women’s 81kg
Katrina Feklistova achieved a personal best and set a new British record by snatching 105kg, earning a bronze medal in the snatch. She also lifted 120kg and 124kg in the clean and jerk, narrowly missing 127kg, with a total of 229kg, placing sixth overall.
Day 8: 20 April – Women’s 87kg & Men’s 102kg
Madias Ngake (87kg) struggled in the snatch but showed resilience by lifting 130kg in the clean and jerk to win a bronze medal in the discipline.
Ramiro Mora Romero (102kg) competed as a guest, snatching 161kg and attempting 165kg and 168kg without success. However, he excelled in the clean and jerk, lifting 200kg, 206kg, and 210kg.
Day 9: 21 April – Women’s +87kg
Emily Campbell made history by securing her fifth consecutive European title in the +87kg category. She lifted 112kg, 116kg, and 120kg in the snatch, and 150kg, 156kg, and 161kg in the clean and jerk, achieving a total of 281kg. This victory further solidified her legacy as one of Britain’s most decorated weightlifters.
Mercy Brown successfully lifted 104kg and 108kg in the snatch, finishing fourth. Unfortunately, a back injury forced her to withdraw from the clean and jerk. We wish Mercy a swift recovery and look forward to her return to competition.
Team Performance and Future Outlook
“This was a strong team performance, with all athletes ranking in the top 10, including three debutantes. The women’s team finished in a solid third place, with five athletes earning medals. This is a promising sign for the future of British weightlifting,” said Stuart Martin, Head of Performance.
Acknowledgements
These achievements would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of the coaching team, physiotherapists, and support staff, who keep our athletes prepared and resilient. We are also grateful to our partners and sponsors for their continued support, and to UK Sport, whose backing is essential for the development of high-performance weightlifting across Britain. Thank you for helping our lifters dream big, lift heavy, and compete with pride.
