UPDATED: Campbell (ENG) holds off young stars for Commonwealth glory
England's Weightlifting superstar Emily Campbell won her third Commonwealth Games medal with gold in the Women’s +86kg at the SEC Armadillo on Thursday.
Updated to included the Men's +110kg event.
Siti Aqilah Farhana Draman, 20, took silver for Malaysia to go with five golds and a bronze, meaning they top the Weightlifting medal table at Glasgow 2026. Canada’s 18-year-old Etta Mae claimed bronze.
The English lifter settled for bronze at Gold Coast 2018 before topping the podium at Birmingham 2022.
She was tied with New Zealand’s Tui-Alofa Patolo after the snatch.
However, 32-year-old Campbell (pictured) took a strong lead with a clean and jerk of 148kg on her first attempt, then increased it to 155kg on her second.
She twice stopped the clock to increase the weight, and with her final attempt set a new Commonwealth and Games record of 163kg that brought the Armadillo crowd to their feet.
“I didn’t know I secured the gold with my first lift,” Campbell said afterwards. “It was execute three nice clean and jerks, and I realised with the second one. I knew that once I’d done that I had definitely won.
“I haven’t gone that heavy in a long time. I’ve watched it back and it’s very nearly technically perfect.”
A Fiji first
In the Men’s 110kg, Taniela Tuisuva Rainibogi won gold, Fiji’s first medal of Glasgow 2026.
He led at the break after lifting 170kg in the snatch, but England’s Cyrille Tchatchet II challenged for the lead as he lifted 204kg in the clean and jerk.
The Fijian hit back with 208kg for a new Games record and first place. He then watched on as Canada’s Xavier Lusignan failed at 209kg.
Samoa’s Jack Hitila Opeloge made a late attempt on the medals, but failed three times on 210kg.
“The Samoan guy is a great lifter, and when he was going for his lift my breath was up there," Rainibogi said. "He’s a very experienced lifter, and the other lifters are very strong. When they were going out, it was breathtaking.”
David Liti rounded off the Weightlifting competition after leaving it late to overhaul India’s Lovepreet Singh to win +110kg gold.
Singh appeared to have won when he ended with a flourish by lifting 212kg with his second clean and jerk.
It forced Liti into attempting a Games record of 223kg, which he successfully lifted, roared on by the crowd, to take his third Games medal and second gold. England’s Andrew Griffiths took bronze.