• London 2012 - Weightlifting

Smith shines with British record in weightlifting

Zoe Smith celebrates her British record © Getty Images

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Teenage weightlifter Zoe Smith emerged from her first Olympics with tremendous credit, setting a British record.

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The 18-year-old took to the stage in the 58kg class and enhanced her reputation with a fine display at the ExCel Arena.

Smith narrowly missed out on a British record in the snatch, but her lift of 121kgs in the clean and jerk was enough to etch her name into the record books.

Smith was handed a place in Group B of the 58kg class and she stepped out for her first attempt in the snatch to a huge ovation. If she needed any inspiration, she took it as she picked off a weight of 90kgs in some style. She stepped forward for a tilt at a British record of 93kgs, but on both occasions she just failed to nail the lift.

Her first attempt was a disappointment, while her second was close to being cleared but she staggered when hoisting the bar over her head and had to release.

Although frustrated with her failure to clean up 93kgs - Smith twice looked at her hands as the bar fell to suggest it slipped from her grasp - she looked extremely relaxed in the break between disciplines as she was smiling for the camera and typing away on her phone.

She entered the clean and jerk and made a positive start as she hoisted 116kgs at the first attempt with remarkable ease - which prompted a big smile following a positive signal from the judges.

A failure at 121kgs led to an intense conversation with her coach and those words of encouragement paid off as although she wobbled, she settled long enough to get the green light from the judges and with it a British clean and jerk record.

Smith finished 12th in the competition, despite her British record effort.

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