Hannah Krimple and Caroline Doyle represent the Northern Ireland weightlifting team at this summer’s Birmingham Community Games.
The 26-year-old Newtown native who competes in the 59kg weight class, was a bodybuilder in his youth, but after joining CrossFit, he chose to focus on weightlifting.
Doyle, 29, from Balmain, is a former Ulster Schools Hockey player but had to quit the sport after Minsky’s breakup. Compete in the 64kg weight category.
Doyle also found his way into weightlifting after training at CrossFit.
Team captain Tim Graham believes that now that qualification is confirmed, the hunt for the Birmingham Games can begin.
“Hannah and Caroline both have different goals and ambitions ahead of the games,” Graham said.
“Hana will go to Europe (at the end of May in Albania) and Caroline is in a good phase of strength before the games.
“When it comes to games, we’re looking for the maximum number of branches between Attack and George.”
Both Hannah and Caroline are relatively new to the sport, but are intent on making an impact on the Games starting July 28.
“They are two new girls from a previous sport,” Graham said.
“Caroline just came to me a couple of years ago and told me she wanted to go to the community games.
“He was already practicing weightlifting and we knew he had great potential. Hannah was the same when she started lifting weights.
“The two girls had a good sporting experience, had sporting opportunities and really qualified for a good position, so let’s see how it goes in Birmingham.”
Graham hopes that community games in the UK will be beneficial to the NI team.
“It’s on the other side of the pool,” he said. “We’re also on the ground at the NEC Hilton, about 100 meters from the gym, competing on the ground, so we were very lucky.
“For the last few games on the Gold Coast (Australia), we had to take a 25 minute bus ride to the gym and we could have been there three weeks earlier.
“It’s nice to walk from the hotel to Birmingham NEC and it will be very convenient for us.”
Emma McQuaid finished fourth at the Gold Coast Games four years ago and Graham hopes Krimml and Doyle can climb to the podium in Birmingham.
“We hope to be able to climb as high as possible in the rankings,” he said.
Source: Belfastlive
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