Michaela Breeze

Michaela Breeze
MBE
Personal information
Born (1979-05-17) 17 May 1979 (age 45)
Medal record
Representing  Wales
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2006 Melbourne 63 kg
Silver medal – second place 2010 Delhi 58 kg
Silver medal – second place 2002 Manchester 58 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Glasgow 58 kg
Representing  Great Britain
European Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Loutraki 58 kg
European Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 1999 Spala 58 kg
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Sofia 58 kg

Michaela Alica Breeze MBE (born 17 May 1979) is a British former weightlifter. Breeze was born in Watford and raised in Cornwall and educated at Wadebridge School.[1] She started weightlifting under the guidance of PE teacher Dave Allen.[citation needed] Breeze then went on to Bodmin Community College before attending the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff.[2] Breeze is well known for commentating at various events including Rio Olympics and Tokyo Olympics.

After nearly eighteen months of starting weightlifting she was put in touch with a new coach, Ken Price. She sustained a back injury in 2000, which saw her miss international competition and training for over a year.

After taking a silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Breeze retired from the sport and opened a gym in Aberdare. However, she made a comeback for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, motivated by a desire to push athletes she was coaching towards qualifying for the Games themselves. Breeze won a bronze medal in the 58 kg competition, setting a new Commonwealth Games snatch record and subsequently announced her second retirement.[3]

Breeze also taught PE at Ivybridge Community College in Devon.[2] She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours for services to weightlifting.[4][5]

  1. ^ "Michaela's last minute Games call | This is Cornwall". thisiscornwall.co.uk. 2012. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Weightlifters and Powerlifters announced in Wales' quest for 2010 Commonwealth Games glory". disability-sport-wales.org. 8 July 2010. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  3. ^ Doel, Jon (26 July 2014). "Commonwealth Games: Michaela Breeze claims weightlifting bronze medal in farewell". WalesOnline. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  4. ^ "No. 59808". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2011. p. 14.
  5. ^ "Devon people recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours". BBC. 11 June 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2011.