Teen weightlifter to make Jersey history at British Championships

Thursday 23 August 2018

She might be just 14, but one local weightlifter is set to make history at the British Junior Championships next month as the first female from Jersey to ever take part in the competition.

What makes Charlotte Neale's achievements even more impressive, however, is the fact she started training only four months ago, she only entered her first competition two weeks ago.

As well as her own personal dedication, her 'zero to hero' transformation came thanks to Jersey Sport Foundation's (JSF) 'Power to Podium' programme.

The JSF, a charity founded in April 2014 to assist the development of emerging and established athletes in Jersey, launched the programme to prove that Jersey can produce athletes able to compete at high level with a good coaching environment and the right system behind the athletes.

10 other women - Grace Bravery, Florrie Copley, Abbie Le Marquand, Rachel Leck, Laura Makin, Hannah Medder, Amy Moore, Rhea Munro, Katie Penn, Samantha Petrean – have been training since 24 April in a bid to become Jersey’s first ever team of Olympic female weightlifters. At 14, Charlotte is the youngest team member.

Pictured: Charlotte (bottom right) with her weightlifting squad.

She was a complete novice in the discipline when she lifted her first weights with the JSF, although she admits being quite sporty, having started gymnastics nine years ago. While she hasn’t left gymnastics behind completely – she still practices 10 hours a week and has a gym in the lounge at home – Charlotte turned to weightlifting in the hope of becoming a top athlete.

John Scriven, Head of Services at JSF, recalls: “When Charlotte came in to interview for the programme, she said something really mature and wise for a 13-year-old girl. She told us, ‘I really like gymnastics, but I have realised I am not going to be at the highest level. If I was going to, I would have been already. If I want to be the best I can be, it won’t be in gymnastics. I have to try something else.'"

While surprised by her choice, her family was really supportive and has been overwhelmed by Charlotte's results. "They are excited about it," Charlotte told Express. "I don't think they realised how many options there would be for me to compete when I signed up!"

 Pictured: Keith (left) and John Scriven supported Charlotte for her first competition.

Charlotte, like her fellow team members, was selected as much for her physical aptitudes as for her mental condition. Mr Scriven says the young athlete has a lot of potential, so much that she could win medals at the Olympics in the future. While her first competition was “quite scary” in her admission, Charlotte performed so well she finished second in her weight category and qualified for the British Youth Championships.

“My first lift was the worst one,” Charlotte recalls. “I was so nervous, I had never competed. I tried to lift 37 kilos but it didn’t go so well. “Keith (a senior weightlifting coach for British Weightlifting currently acting as Mr Scriven mentor) spoke to the officials and told them what I needed to do. I then lifted 40kg and it went ok, I was more happy.

"You know you have done a good lift when the buzzer goes and you hear, 'Good lift!' The third one didn’t go as well, I fell over on my bum!”

Not only did the teen qualify for the Championships, she did so in the top level and almost in one lift. “To qualify, Charlotte needed to lift a total of 55kg,” explains Mr Scriven. “This is split between a snatch and the clean and jerk. In her clear and jerk, Charlotte lifted 52kg. In total, she lifted 92kg, nearly the double of what she needed.

“She is twice as strong as some of the other athletes in her group. She had a broken foot when she came for the trial, but we saw she had lots of potential. She is a special young athlete and we want to work on her long-term development. We don’t want her to go into competitions for the glory of it but because she is capable of it.”

Pictured: According to John Scriven, Charlotte has the potential to be an Olympic champion.

For the young athlete, the idea of making Jersey’s history is “quite overwhelming.” While she enjoyed competing and the buzz of it, she is bashful when it comes to talking about her achievements. “There were some really good athletes that I wanted to see but I didn’t get too,” she remembers. “Do you know why you didn’t,” asks Mr Scriven encouragingly. “It’s because you were competing too, because you are as strong as them. You will see them at the Championships, you will have a first-class ticket!”

For Charlotte, as nice winning medals will be, they are not the end goal. She hopes that whatever she does will “inspire people to do new things; whatever their gender or their age.”

And she's not only one in the team reaping success.

Last weekend, Samantha Petrean, Grace Bravery and Amy Moore travelled to Lakeside for a Weightlifting competition. While it didn't exactly go as planned for Grace, she says it was good fun. "If I had weighed 500 grams less and hadn't had breakfast that day, I would have come second in my category. As it stands, I finished at the bottom! My nerves were not as bad as I thought and the atmosphere was really supportive."

For Amy, the weekend was more fruitful as she brought back a Bronze medal - her second so far. "I am getting a good collection of thirds," she jokes. "I really enjoyed the competition. It was quite different from the first competition where I was on my own. This time there was three of us and it gave us some distraction and extra support. Now we are back on the grind!"

Pictured: Charlotte is currently training over four hours a week.

With only a couple of weeks to go before the competition,Charlotte is busy working on her technique. “There is no pressure for her,” says Mr Scriven. “I wasn’t really sure about sending her for a competition so soon. It was a last-minute rush. It was a bit of a shock for the Championships as I was thinking about this for a little bit later down the line.

“We are not telling her to lift anything. Next year will be different. This year will be a good experience for her, whatever happens. At the end of the day, as long as she is enjoying it and has a smile on her face, we will keep going. Our approach is long-term.”