Breeze battles back injury as she goes out with grace

WEIGHTLIFTER Michaela Breeze received a standing ovation from the partisan Chinese crowd after smashing through the pain barrier to complete her Olympic campaign on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old Wales athlete successfully lifted 80kg and 85kg but then withdrew from the competition following a recurrence of the back injury that had affected her prior to the Games.

But Breeze - who had been face down on the floor receiving a massage during the third round of lifting - staged a remarkable recovery returning to convert 80kg and 90kg in the clean and jerk.

Britain's lone weightlifter then went on to complete her final attempt at 100kg for a total of 185kg as the announcer urged the Chinese-dominated crowd to cheer her past the finish line.

And despite the partial withdrawal ending the 2006 Commonwealth Games champion's hopes of a medal she remained one of the stars of the show finishing seventh in group B.

"I was in a lot of pain in the snatch heats and I came out for the clean and jerk because I just wanted to finish," said Breeze - who finished 15^th overall as Suk Hyon Pak of North Korea took top spot. 

"I took everything I could take in the interval to try and combat the pain and I have never pushed through pain like that.  The Olympics are only every four years so you have to do what you can.

"My position by that point was irrelevant as I was quite a way of my personal bests - but I was really chuffed that I was able to come out and put a total on the board

"I wouldn't put myself through this for any other competition but the Olympics."

Breeze's back complaints are not a new development with the PE teacher missing several ranking events prior to the Games because of the problem.

But Breeze - who finished seventh in Athens four years ago - revealed her trip to Beijing was never in doubt as she was determined to fly the British flag at the Beijing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics Gymnasium.

"If I hadn't competed there would have been no GB representation," she said.  "I have had problems with my lower back in the last few weeks the problem I am getting is causing a muscle spasm at the moment so it is not going to cause me any long term damage.

"We have had it checked out with scans and the problem is everything is just going into spasm which is causing the pain."

And despite the long-term problems Breeze refused to rule out a third bite of the Olympic cherry on home soil in 2012.

"I would like to go better in London in 2012 and show people that I can make the A group and prove what I really can do," she added. "My mind is willing I just hope my body is too."

"I am looking forward to a bit of rest now and get fixed up and next event is in Delhi to defend my title."

MATTHEW DAVIS in Beijing