Weightlifter Emily Campbell: Even elite athletes struggle with body confidence – and that’s OK

British weightlifter Emily Campbell wants young girls to love their “inner beauty” and embrace the power of their bodies.

The two-time Olympic medallist suggests normalising scars and cellulite is important, because it will help young girls and women feel more confident in their skin.

“With what we see on social media, there is a pressure for our skin to look a certain way and to have this perfect airbrushed image,” Campbell said.

“Stretch marks, cellulite, scars and the scrapes and bumps we get as a kid are not normalised. We all go through this and it is actually a sign of your body being healthy. Every scar and bump has got a story behind it.”

Campbell, 30, who won bronze in the women’s +81kg category at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, described her own experience with body image as a “journey” with ups and downs.

“Confidence takes time and is definitely a process,” she said. “Even us at the top level [who] do incredible things have days where we are not feeling very body confident, and that’s OK.

“When I first started the sport I was around 95kg, and then in order for me to be able to perform efficiently, I had to start eating properly to fuel myself. Yes, I put body weight on, but actually I was a healthier version of myself.

“I think it is important to recognise that you need to fuel your body to do the things it needs to do, rather than thinking about the way it looks.

“The stronger I have become and the more that I have excelled in the sport has gradually made me feel more confident in my skin.”

Before every competition the British weightlifter likes to take the time to do her hair and make-up.

“It’s almost like putting on a bit of war paint on to become a superhero,” reflected Campbell. “Once you get your make-up, hair and kit on, you start to feel really empowered to go out and do the things that you love the most.”

Alongside Team GB artistic gymnastic Becky Downie and England and Arsenal defender Lotte Wubben-Moy, Campbell has partnered with Gillette Venus on the brand’s new Move Your Skin: Re-write The Rules campaign, which is embracing all body types and is addressing barriers that prevent women and girls from participating in sport.

“We could all be on the same eating and exercise plan and we would all look completely different, that is the way genetics and life works,” said Campbell. “So you just have to do what’s right for you personally and find the inner beauty within yourself.”

Campbell hopes the campaign will help change attitudes around body types, encouraging girls to be confident enough to participate in new sports.

“I think there needs to be more conversations around the benefits that physical activity can do to give girls a little bit more confidence to be able to get involved,” she said.

“I also think we need more female PE teachers in those spaces to be able to give the girls the confidence to not care about what other people think.”

The Olympian also recommends girls surround themselves with positive people and role models, both at school and online.

“Surround yourself with people who are encouraging you to be unapologetically yourself,” Campbell said.

“Fill your social media feed with things that are positive and give you confidence, and are not making you feel like you need to live or look like a certain standard.”

For more information about the campaign, visit Gillette Venus and on Instagram.