Olympics 2012: Weightlifter Zoe Smith Sets British Record In Clean And Jerk At London's ExCel

Smith Roared Into Record Books By Huge ExCel Crowd

Zoe Smith burst into tears after breaking the British clean and Jerk record on Monday at the ExCel centre in London.

"I gave it my all today," she said through tears after the competition. "I was acclimatising to the fact there were 6,000 people cheering my name."

Smith: 'I gave it my all today'

The 18-year-old Londoner, who has been the target of online abuse via the micro-blogging site Twitter, was asked about the support of the packed crowd at the Dockland's site.

"The scale, 6,000 people compared to having maybe competed in front of 600 people before, and knowing that I was competing at the Olympics, I think the nerves got to me more than I thought they would," she said.

Smith, who was competing in the 58kg category, placed fourth in the snatch, lifting 90kg before failing twice at 93kg.

Although a total of 211kg is unlikely to put Smith in contention for a medal, the Greenwich-born athlete's lift of 121kg in the clean and jerk was enough to top Michaela Breeze's 8-year-old record British record.

Ecuador's Maria Alexandra Escobar Guerrero finished top of group B, lifting 226kg.

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