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Page last updated at 12:34 GMT, Monday, 9 February 2009

Breeze left 'high and dry' by cut

Breeze faces uncertain future

Commonwealth Games gold medal winning weightlifter Michaela Breeze says she has been left "high and dry" by UK Sport after her funding was cut.

Devon-based Welsh competitor Breeze, 28, was the only British weightlifter to compete at the Beijing Olympics.

And following her injury-hit 15th place in the 63kg category her sport has seen its funding for the London 2012 Games cut by more than half.

"If I do get cut then I'm not sure where I'm going to be," Breeze said.

Breeze won gold for Wales at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games and added: "It's a devastating blow to be told that we're going to be receiving less money than we were originally told in the build-up for the London Games."

And she said that the sports faces a difficult situation as it has less funding to try to produce better athletes.

"It's an absolute travesty really," she explained.. "They're looking for results but at the same time results don't just happen. We've got to have the backing and support.

"They put the pressure on to say 'we want results' at the Europeans, the World Championships and the Olympics, but they're expecting those results to almost come from nowhere with no support."

If I do get cut then I'm not sure where I'm going to be. My future in the sport really depends on what happens and what decisions are made

Michaela Breeze

And Breeze, who teaches three days-a-week at Ivybridge Community College in Devon, says she is in limbo about her future, both in weightlifting and in life.

"I'm high and dry at the moment," she said.

"If I get cut I can't argue with that because I didn't get results last year so at the end of the day no results, no support.

"If I do get cut then I'm not sure where I'm going to be. My future in the sport really depends on what happens and what decisions are made.

"It's not just the direct support they give me, it's also the physio support and the medical back-up which all adds up.

"It's quite a hefty bill when you're receiving as much treatment as I am to keep my body in shape and to keep going."



see also
Olympic sports hit by funding cut
29 Jan 09 |  Olympics
2012 funding sport-by-sport
29 Jan 09 |  Olympics
Nominees named for sports awards
21 Nov 08 |  Sports Personality
First hoops academy for Raiders
03 Sep 08 |  Basketball
Coach's slap helps Breeze finish
12 Aug 08 |  Weightlifting
Breeze performance hit by injury
12 Aug 08 |  Weightlifting
Devon's Breeze gets Olympic call
14 Jul 08 |  Weightlifting
Breeze in Olympic 'no man's land'
20 Jun 08 |  Weightlifting


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