Hannah Crymble is approaching the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games with a significantly different mindset than she had four years prior, positioning herself as a strong contender for a medal.

In 2022, Crymble described her qualification for the Birmingham Games as almost accidental, a sentiment far removed from her current approach. "This time around, I’ve had to really work and earn my spot on the team," she stated. "I’m a much more confident and relaxed competitor now compared to four years ago as well."

Crymble, who transitioned to weightlifting from gymnastics via CrossFit, finished sixth in the 59kg class at her first international competition in Birmingham. This performance hinted at her potential, which she has since developed through commitment and coaching.

Building on Experience

Over the past four years, Crymble has gained substantial international experience competing with Team Ireland. She won the Ulster Open and British championships last year and placed 21st at the World Championships. "Birmingham was my second ever international competition so I have a lot more experience behind me now," she noted.

With this increased experience comes greater expectation, with Crymble considered a favorite in the 63kg category for Glasgow 2026. To manage this, she has worked with a sports psychologist to shift her focus from performance pressure to enjoyment.

"During the qualification period I started to put too much pressure and expectation on myself," Crymble admitted. "So I’ve been working very hard with my sports psychologist and we’ve got to this point now where I’m enjoying competing again. I’m feeling the confidence and excitement to get on the platform, rather than this heavy expectation of numbers that I need to be hitting."

Techniques to stay grounded and focused on personal performance, rather than external pressures, are key to her strategy. "It also reminds me I’m here to have fun," she said. "I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t enjoy it. And that just keeps me relaxed and focused on what the main goals are."

Addressing Stereotypes and Juggling Roles

Crymble is also actively working against gender stereotypes in the sport, highlighting weightlifting as a positive activity for females. She aims to encourage younger female athletes coming through the system in Northern Ireland.

"Being strong and weightlifting is such a cool thing for females to do," she added proudly. "We have a lot of younger female lifters coming through the system now in Northern Ireland. And I just love being able to encourage them and show them the opportunities that are there for them as they progress and get older."

She has begun to embrace a leadership role within Northern Irish weightlifting. Crymble is balancing her athletic pursuits with her career as a nurse in the cancer center at Belfast City Hospital. Funding from the National Lottery has enabled her to reduce her working hours from full-time to part-time, allowing her to dedicate more time to training.

"I was working full-time and then I was lucky enough to get Athlete Award funding, which is funded by the National Lottery, and that’s allowed me to reduce my hours," she explained. "When I’m working it’s 13-hour shifts so I can’t train before or after work, it’s just not feasible."

She described the strain of working full-time and training as