Current Students and Staff

// University News

oliva broome

England’s Zoe Newson with her Gold Medal (centre), England’s Olivia Broome with her Silver Medal (left) and Kenya’s Hellen Kariuki with her Bronze Medal. Image provided by PA/Alamy.

Newson and Broome in double medal Powerlifting glory

Zoe Newson and Olivia Broome completed an England 1-2 in the Para Powerlifting Lightweight category to win gold and silver respectively at the Commonwealth Games.

Newson, who trains at the University, lifted 101kg to register a score of 102.2 to take the title, bettering her Gold Coast 2018 bronze in the same category.

Loughborough University student Olivia Broome took silver, her maiden Commonwealth medal, after lifting a huge 111kg in her final attempt to score 100.

The 4kg increase attempt was enough for a personal best for the Chorley local who now has back-to-back medals at major championships following her bronze medal at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

In a technical competition of the highest standard, Kenya’s Hellen Kariuki's 98.5 secured bronze.

Following her podium finish, Olivia Broome said: “I’m over the moon. I was in my own zone, laser-focused on what I needed to do and wanted to achieve. It couldn’t have gone any better than it did.

“A medal means so much to me. When I started this sport, I never thought I’d be here now. I thought it would be years before I could call myself a Commonwealth silver medallist.”

Gold medal winner Newson added: “I was just trying for a PB [102kg], to enjoy it and do my best really. But coming away with the gold medal is a massive bonus. I didn't get the PB but I got the gold medal so I'm happy with that.”

olivia broom

O‌livia Broome celebrates her 111kg lift. Image provided by PA/Alamy.

Loughborough’s dedicated 2022 Commonwealth Games website features all the latest news, videos, and medal tables from Birmingham.

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 22/157

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2022 QS World University Rankings and University of the Year for Sport by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2022.

Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 7th in The UK Complete University Guide 2022, and 10th in both the Guardian University League Table 2022 and the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

Categories