25-YEAR WEIGHT IS OVER!

Former TASS favourite Emily Muskett has won a first British medal in 25 years at the World Weightlifting Championships.

The 29-year-old bagged a brilliant bronze in the clean and jerk in Thailand.

And Muskett’s magnificent feat meant Britain was able to celebrate a first podium place at the worlds since Myrtle Augee claimed overall and clean and jerk bronze in 1994.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” said the reigning Commonwealth champion, who received TASS support from 2010-2012.

“I’ve been working three jobs and just training when I can, which is hard to balance, but all the British lifters are in the same situation.

“I just hope someone from UK Sport will take a look at us and help because there’s so much potential here, particularly on the women’s side of the sport.”

Fellow TASS athlete Zoe Smith – who has just completed a second year on the scheme – finished sixth in the 59kg division.

And Sarah Davies, who was appointed as the inaugural Chair of TAAG, the Talented Athlete Advisory Group, finished eighth in the 64kg class.

All three British lifters are now within touching distance of Tokyo 2020 with less than 12 months to go until the Olympic Games gets underway.

And Muskett believes the best is yet to come for homegrown athletes following the International Weightlifting Federation’s decision to ban nine nations in 2017 as part of an ongoing clampdown on doping and missing data.

“I’m in a weight division where there are athletes from nations who have been caught out in the past and for the first time I’m finishing ahead of them,” Muskett said.

“It’s finally a level playing field, which is really encouraging, and we just have to hope it keeps moving in the right direction.”