Coach Harry Leech pleased as Irish team get a lift from World Championships

The four women who made a little bit of Irish sporting history by competing in the weightlifting World Championships for the first time finished much nearer last than first, but the venture was still a success for one of the country’s fastest-growing sports.

Never before had Ireland’s female lifters — of whom there were only a handful a few years ago — been good enough to compete at this level.

Harry Leech, the gym owner and business journalist who headed the coaching team in Houston, Texas, said: “Overall, we’re pleased. Your first time in a World Championships is never going to be easy and there were some encouraging performances. We’ll be looking to improve again in the next couple of years.”