MAIL SPORT EXTREME: Glasgow strongwoman Campbell aiming to make her mark on the world stage
‘Behind every great woman... is another great woman’. But in some cases, behind every great woman, there are several great women.
It’s a line from Kate Hodges’ *I Know A Woman: Inspiring Connections of the Women Who Have Shaped Our World*, where the author discusses pioneers from Marie Curie to Billie Jean King and the legacies they have left on the world.
Of course, it’s not just world-renowned figures who inspire. For many, inspiration comes much closer to home.
That has certainly been the case for 18-year-old Emma Campbell, from Shettleston in Glasgow’s east end, who is set to grace the world powerlifting stage in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in November.
‘I look up to a lot of the women in my life like my mum, gran and aunt,’ says Campbell. ‘But in powerlifting, my biggest inspiration is Annie Nelson. She is such a lovely person and I look up to her in so many ways.
‘She shows that you can be strong and still be feminine in a very male-dominated sport, which I think is really important for a lot of girls to see.’
Campbell is set to compete in the world championships in Massachusetts later this year
Campbell, 18, took up powerlifting after visiting the local gym to boost her confidence
British powerlifter Annie Nelson is the role model Campbell most looks to for inspiration
It hasn’t always been plain sailing for Campbell. Having struggled with self-confidence and anxiety in her early teen years, she began going to the gym to feel at one within herself again. Little did the teenager know that it would begin a love affair with powerlifting.
‘I’d say probably when I started high school I started to struggle with my confidence and had a terrible relationship with food and my body,’ she adds. ‘So, as a lot of young girls do, I started going to the gym with my mum.
‘At first I wasn’t embarrassed by it because even in school I didn’t want to take part in PE, as I felt everyone was judging me.
‘When I began, I was around 12 years old and I did things like spin classes, body pump, etc, then I moved to the gym my dad trained in.
‘Me and my mum then begun PT sessions there and I found out during these that I was actually pretty strong.’
Now three years into her powerlifting journey, Campbell will fly Stateside to compete against a range of athletes across weight and age divisions at the World Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation championship, where she will hope to prove she is the strongest in her respective class.
The winners are determined by a total weight lifted across bench press, squat and deadlift. They each get three lifts in each discipline, with the highest successful lift added to their total. With a number of Scottish records under her belt, Campbell isn’t going to Cape Cod just to make up the numbers, she’s going with her sights set on winning.
Campbell only realised the strength she possessed after starting PT sessions with her mum
‘Going to the worlds was the goal for me from the very start and getting to go so soon in my lifting journey is an absolute dream come true,’ she says.
‘I will give everything I have as things like this don’t happen often.
‘I have an idea of who I’m up against as, when I was at the British Championships two weeks ago, I was able to meet people who were going to attend worlds.
‘As there are weight categories and also age categories, I am really hoping to be able to make third in my weight category, which would be insane as there are a lot of strong women attending.
‘As for my age category, my wish is to be first.
‘More importantly, though, I would just like to enjoy the experience of competing at an international competition and have fun with my lifting friends and family. There are also a few potential world records I have my eyes on and I’m confident I’ll be able to achieve them.
‘When I first joined the BDFPA (British Drug-Free Powerlifting Association), I had no idea I was as good as I was. After getting a coach, I competed at British champs 12 weeks later and I came first place in my category it felt crazy after only a short amount of time I had already placed first.’
Campbell has a number of Scottish records to her name and could contend on the world stage
There have been several bumps along the way in reaching this stage. As recently as last year, Campbell almost quit the sport entirely when her powerlifting gym was shut down and she was left without a coach.
Fortunately for her, through her connections in the gyms, Olympic hammer thrower Chris Bennett recognised the potential in her and refused to let that go to waste.
‘Last year I took a break from powerlifting and never thought I’d even get back into the gym after the powerlifting club I trained in was shut down,’ she reveals. ‘I no longer had a coach and I was really struggling with my mental health, which took a toll on me physically.
‘I was fortunate enough that Chris Bennett, who trained at the powerlifting club, decided that he would help me find my way back to the gym, whether that was powerlifting or not, as he saw potential in me and didn’t want to let it go to waste.
‘I’m not shy in saying that if it weren’t for Chris’ help and all of the confidence he had in me, my life would not be as great as it is today. The amount of belief he had in me gave me the confidence that I could do anything I set my mind to and in the last year I’ve lifted weights I never thought possible in the gym.
‘Powerlifting is more than just a hobby for me it gives me a reason to get up some days, to push myself and prove I can do hard things.
Former Commonwealth hammer thrower Chris Bennett helped Campbell after her gym closed
‘If I could’ve told myself something last year when I thought about quitting, it would be to remember why you started and remember who you’re doing it for. You’ve got no idea how much stronger these hard times will make you.’
November’s world championships are the immediate goal, but Campbell is targeting big things in her future, including opening her own gym.
Having been inspired by so many already, the 18-year-old is intent on leading by example for the next generation.
She says: ‘I’d like to have my own training facility in the future, mostly catered to powerlifting and weightlifting, as my biggest passion is to show people that fitness and going to the gym should be enjoyable and not just about getting skinny but also strong, especially when it comes to women.
‘I have wondered what my life would look like if I hadn’t discovered powerlifting but I could take a guess and say I wouldn’t be happy or as confident in myself as I am now. And I wouldn’t have met so many amazing people throughout my lifting journey that have made me who I am today.’
