Commonwealth Games honour for Bulwell weightlifter Emily Campbell

She has been selected along with diver Jack Laugher MBE.

Campbell, 28, said: “I am extremely honoured to have the opportunity to fly the Team England flag high at the opening ceremony.

“It makes it so much more special that I get to do it in front of a home crowd on Midlands soil - it really doesn’t get any better than that.

“Being the first female weightlifter ever - and the first weightlifter to be flag bearer since the legend Precious Mackenzie in 1974 has me bursting with pride and I hope this moment will inspire other young girls to chase their dreams, whether that’s in sport or anything else they have ambitions of becoming. I really can’t wait to get out there with the team!

After making history at Tokyo 2020 by becoming the first British woman in history to medal in weightlifting at the Olympics with silver in the +87kg event, Campbell is going for gold in Birmingham.

A Leeds Beckett graduate with a degree in Sports Science, the 28-year-old has achieved success across the board, with a bronze medal in the World Championships in Tashkent in 2021 as well as winning the European Championships in Moscow in the same year.

Campbell trains at the legendary Atlas gym in Alfreton and is attending her second Commonwealth Games this summer, having won a bronze medal on the Gold Coast in 2018.

Laugher, 27, became Britain’s first Olympic champion in diving with victory in the men’s 3m synchro, alongside Chris Mears, at Rio 2016.

He won three Commonwealth golds on the Gold Coast to add to his two golds and silver won at Glasgow 2014, and only last month, he became the first British diver to win three medals at a single World Championships.

Mark England OBE, Team England’s Chef de Mission, said: “The athletes have been building towards this moment in their careers, and everyone connected to the team is so proud to be representing the home nation in Birmingham. Jack and Emily are symbols of Team England’s values.”