The University of Leeds’ very own Jack Oliver produced the performance of his life for Team GB in Wednesday’s 77kg weightlifting.

The 21-year-old Classics student twice set new personal bests and delighted the crowds at the ExCel Centre in East London, only a few miles from his home in Bexleyheath.

Oliver, who began his career at the age of 14, lifted 165kg and later 170kg in the clean and jerk to finish fourth in the B Group of the 77kg competition. His previous best was 162kg.

With 140kg his best in the snatch, Oliver achieved a total of 310kg, six kilos better than his former PB.

He revealed last week to The Guardian that his preparation involves drinking an “absolutely horrible” shake for breakfast that contains “50 grams of oats, 30 grams of whey protein, a pint of whole milk, and 10 grams of colostrum, which is the first milk of a cow that has just given birth”.

However disgusting this sounds, it may well have helped Oliver to his goal of setting new PBs at the 2012 Games.

And with youth on his side, he can surely only go from strength to strength in future competitions.

Words: Hugo Greenhalgh