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.”

Thammy Nguyen, at 19 the youngest member of the team, was more forthright. “I don’t want to go home,” she said. “I’ve had an absolutely fantastic time and loved every minute of it.”

Nguyen, whose Irish-Vietnamese parents own a Chinese takeaway restaurant in Dublin, finished 37th of 39 in the lightest weight category, 48kg. That was a good effort for somebody who took up weightlifting seriously only a year ago and her next target will be a place on the podium at next year’s European Junior Championships.

The gulf between Ireland and other nations can be summed up in terms of money. A lifter from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and other Asian nations will be rewarded with $20,000 or more for a bronze medal at these and other big championships, while an Olympic gold guarantees an apartment and a good income for life.

That bronze-medal prize is as much as Irish weightlifting has to survive on for a year.

“It’s basically a voluntary operation,” said Leech.

One place behind Nguyen was Alexandria Craig, 30, a former gymnast and circus performer who, Leech said, has plenty of improvement to come and will hopefully become a key part of the coaching team in future.

In the 58kg category Aoife MacNeill, 30, who represented Ireland on the track as a junior sprinter, was 34th of 37. She, too, has a future in coaching, but her next target is the European Championships in Norway next April.

Ahead of her was 23-year-old Emma Alderdice in 32nd place. After posting a total of 166kg Alderdice was positively bubbling. “Look at that,” she said, pointing at the scoreboard. “Only one lifter made all three clean and jerks and that was me. I’ll take the positives from this experience.” Her third lift of 94kg was a national record.

All competitors must make at least one good lift from three attempts at the snatch, and another from three tries at the clean and jerk, to post a total. That is the first aim and all four did it.

“There will be another first for Irish weightlifting next year,” said Leech, who has seen competitive numbers rise from 130 to nearly 500 since 2011.

“We will be sending a full team to the European Championships for the first time: Eight men and seven women.

“It’s very difficult to work around people’s schedules, as they all have jobs or they’re students. Even the timing of an exam can decide who goes and who doesn’t, but we will be able to send a full team.

“There has been a change of attitude in society about fitness and body image, especially among women. It’s cool to be strong, and there are more and more people coming into our sport.”

The sole Irishman on the team, Cathal Byrd, missed all three snatch attempts in the 77kg, but recovered well in the clean & jerk, coming close to a national record.

“He still has a few more years of improving before we really see him at his peak,” said Leech. “Having someone as hard-working and positive as him on a team is good for all involved.”