From Bulwell to Olympic Glory: Emily Campbell on strength, resilience and redefining weightlifting

As the first British woman to win an Olympic weightlifting medal, Emily has not only redefined the sport but also emerged as a passionate advocate for strength—both physical and mental.

Widely recognised among leading Olympic speakers, she uses her platform to promote body confidence and speak openly about mental health, making her a standout voice in the wider mental health speakers circuit.

In this exclusive interview with The Champions Speakers Agency, the UK's largest keynote speaker bureau, Emily shares how her love for sport began, the mental resilience behind elite performance, and why she’s determined to make weightlifting more accessible for future generations.

Q: Your athletic journey began well before weightlifting entered the picture. How did your early passion for sport evolve into Olympic competition?

Emily Campbell: “My journey started, I think, from very young, without even knowing I was. I was into every sport on the planet, went to loads of after-school clubs, lots of extracurricular activities, and did every sport you could think of and loved it. I didn’t really care if I was good at it or not, I just really enjoyed playing sport. That made me find my first love, which was athletics.

“As a thrower, I used to throw hammer, shot, and discus, and used to compete for my local club called Notts AC. That’s essentially what led me into weightlifting. I wanted to get stronger for the shot and hammer. When I went to university in Loughborough, I met a coach and asked him if he could teach me the Olympic weightlifting lifts, because people said it would help me throw the shot further.

“So yeah, started learning the movements. It was horrible and complicated, and at first I wasn’t really a massive fan of it, but I just loved the determination of going back and trying to make it better.

“One day you looked like you’d done it for the first time – you looked like you were really getting it and it was going well. Next time, you looked like you’d never done it in your life, and it used to frustrate me and make me want to go back.

“Before I knew it, I was really into weightlifting and realised that every time I was lifting was when I was the happiest. So yeah, I did the two sports for a year and then decided to completely devote my time to weightlifting and take that seriously.

“Within 18 months, I qualified for my first Commonwealth Games, and I’ve been in the world of weightlifting ever since. The journey’s just got better and better, and I’ve learned a lot of things along the way.”

Q: Looking back, what guidance would you offer to your younger self — or to aspiring athletes navigating similar challenges today?

Emily Campbell: “The advice I would give to my younger self would definitely be: believe in the process. Especially with – and I think this goes for all sport, but especially in weightlifting – it’s about building brick by brick.

“In the beginning, you might feel like it’s not going to work, or you’re not where you want to be, or not achieving what you want – but that’s all foundation work for getting you where you need to be.

“It’s about being patient and believing in the journey. I’d also say to young people: try as many sports as possible. If weightlifting is what you want to finish with, and what you’re in love with, and want to continue doing, that’s fantastic. But I also think you learn a lot of transferable skills from other sports.

“I did football, basketball, swimming, trampolining – everything when I was younger. That’s helped me in my career in weightlifting. So go out, socialise, make friends, learn from different people, and enjoy what different sports have to offer. Then, if later on you feel like you want to specialise, you’ll know in your heart it’s the right decision.”

This exclusive interview with Emily Campbell was conducted by Chris Tompkins of The Motivational Speakers Agency.

For More Information: Champions Sports Speakers