OLIVER Dodds soaked up every second of his Commonwealth Games debut as the Jersey weightlifter finished seventh in the men’s 110kg division at the SEC Armadillo.
Competing against some of the world’s strongest lifters after receiving a bipartite invitation, Dodds posted a total of 260kg to cap an unforgettable morning in Glasgow.
A lively Armadillo crowd welcomed the 25-year-old onto the platform first for the snatch, where he opened with the lightest weight in the competition. Nerves appeared to creep in as his opening attempt at 115kg ended in disappointment.
“I was a little bit pressy on my first lift,” Dodds admitted. “115kg went behind me, which I’ve never done before.”
The setback proved only temporary. Returning to the platform, Dodds made no mistake with his second lift before entertaining the crowd ahead of his third attempt.
Originally calling for 117kg, he increased the weight to 119kg before finally settling on a clean 120kg – roughly the equivalent of lifting an adult male giant panda.
With a determined stare, the Jerseyman confidently locked out the lift before breaking into a smile and cheekily sticking out his tongue as the weight remained overhead.
“It was unbelievable. The crowd was phenomenal,” he said. “Going out and seeing all the Jersey flags… I can’t put it into words. It was so emotional.
“A couple of mates from Jersey were here, my flatmate made the trip up, and my mum and dad were there as well, which made it even more special.”
The clean and jerk brought another twist. His opening lift of 140kg initially appeared successful, only for a jury review to overturn the decision and rule it a ‘No Lift’.
Undeterred, Dodds returned moments later to complete the lift successfully, guaranteeing Jersey a total on the Commonwealth scoreboard before opting for 145kg on his final attempt.
Although he was unable to complete the lift, he walked off the platform grinning from ear to ear after embracing every moment of the occasion.
“I was just happy to get a total on the board,” he said. “It might not be my best, but just to be there and experience it meant the absolute world.
“There has been so much during the qualification period that has been really difficult, so to come here, lift 260kg and finish seventh, I’m really, really happy with that.
“There were a few people who bombed out, but that’s weightlifting. I had so much fun – I can’t put into words how much fun I had.
“Pressure comes from myself because you always expect yourself to perform, but going out there and enjoying it was the best part.”
Commonwealth records tumbled throughout the competition, marking the calibre of the field, but for Dodds, this morning was about far more than medals.
This morning was about representing Jersey on one of the biggest stages in sport, and judging by the ovation he received from back to front as he bowed to the crowd, he did exactly that.
Yet another fine ambassador for Jersey, representing the island with pride and humility.
