IWF World Championships 2024: A Challenging Stage for British Athletes

The 2024 IWF World Championships in Bahrain concluded with valuable performances for the British team, including milestone moments for newcomers and solid efforts from experienced lifters.

Jessica Gordon Brown – 59kg B Group
Jessica opened the championships for the British team. After a missed first snatch at 85kg, she successfully made it on her second attempt but narrowly missed 88kg on her third. In the clean and jerk, Jess found rhythm and lifted 105kg and 108kg before an attempt at 111kg proved unsuccessful. She finished with a 193kg total.

Sarah Davies – 64kg A Group
Sarah brought her trademark grit to the platform in the 64kg category. She hit 95kg in the snatch but couldn’t secure 98kg on her subsequent attempts. However, she delivered a consistent clean and jerk series, progressing through 119kg, 123kg, and 127kg, finishing with a total of 222kg, which earned her 9th place overall in a tough group.

Erin Barton – 71kg B Group
Erin endured a challenging session in the 71kg category but showed resilience throughout. After missing her first snatch attempt at 91kg, she steadied herself to make the lift on her second try but couldn’t improve on her third attempt at 94kg. In the clean and jerk, Erin completed 121kg on her second lift after an initial miss and just fell short at 124kg, finishing with a 212kg total.

Isabella Beatrice Brown – 76kg B Group
Competing at her first World Championships, Bella displayed determination and composure. After missing her first two snatch attempts at 96kg, she secured the lift on her third try, avoiding elimination. Bella built momentum in the clean and jerk, hitting 115kg, then 119kg, and confidently closing with 122kg on her final lift, for a 218kg total.

Madias Dodo Ness – 87kg A Group
Making her debut in GBR colours, Madias delivered a standout performance, securing a silver medal in the snatch. She successfully lifted 111kg and 114kg before narrowly missing 117kg. In the clean and jerk, Madias made 130kg but couldn’t complete her final two attempts at 134kg and 135kg. Her efforts resulted in a strong 244kg total.

Emily Campbell – +87kg A Group
Emily sustained an injury after her first snatch and had to withdraw from the clean and jerk session.
Wishing her a smooth recovery—looking forward to seeing her back stronger soon.

Ramiro Mora – 96kg B Group (IWF Refugee Team)
Representing the IWF Refugee Team Ramiro successfully lifted 161kg and 166kg in the snatch before narrowly missing 171kg. In the clean and jerk, he completed 203kg but couldn’t secure 207kg on his next two attempts. Ramiro concluded his performance with a 369kg total.

Dave Sawyer - National Coach reflected on the event, stating:

"I would like to thank the Bahrain Weightlifting Federation and in particular its President Eshaq for an outstandingly organised World Championships. Certainly up there as one of the best. The hospitality was first class. Britain had six female athletes competing across six weight categories. Results achieved were mixed. I know some individuals won't be happy with their performance as they all set themselves the highest standards. However, two top ten results were achieved with Sarah 9th, Madias 8th, with an excellent performance on the snatch, gaining a silver medal. Bella will take away positive experiences from her first World Champs as a junior athlete, gaining twelfth place.

On a more sour note, after an excellent warm-up by Emily on the snatch and looking good for a top 3 finish, she injured her thigh on the opening lift, unfortunately having to retire from the competition. A sad end for us all. Thank you to all the performance staff for their tireless work."

Acknowledgements

BWL would like to thank all the coaches and staff who support the athletes at home and during competitions. We would also like to extend our gratitude to UK Sport for their continued support, which makes international opportunities like these possible.

For those who missed the action, all lifts are available to rewatch on Weightlifting House TV.