By Chris Bailey
Greenwich weightlifter Yana Smith admits a year has made a huge difference after she followed in older sister Zoe’s footsteps at the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games.
The Smith family has developed quite a legacy at the Games with Zoe first competing in Greenwich colours as a 12-year-old before going on to clinch Commonwealth Games bronze in 2010.
Younger sister Yana, 17, only took up weightlifting three weeks before the 2013 London Youth Games and this year leapt up from eighth to fifth in the rankings for Greenwich.
Next in sight for Yana is the British U18 Championships – and she’s tipped Zoe to make a big impression herself this summer with the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games looming large.
“It went better than I expected actually, I’m just recovering from a knee injury at the moment that I suffered two months ago, so I wasn’t expecting to do any better than I did last year,” said Yana, who attends Christ the King St Mary’s Sixth Form.
“Last year I was snatching 30kg and clean jerking 40kg maximum and this year I think I snatched 42kg and clean jerked 53kg, so it’s a really big improvement.
“I came here last year as a favour to stand in for somebody who was injured and I thought I might as well do it and this year I came back thinking I really needed to up my game.
“I’ve seen a few of Zoe’s videos training and she’s doing better than I thought, so hopefully she’ll be feeling confident and do very well in Glasgow.”
Greenwich finished 16th in the overall Jubilee Trophy standings with Bromley fourth, Bexley fifth and Lewisham 18th.
Bexley swimmer Henry Rennolls insists he’s ready to make waves elsewhere this summer after topping the podium with a time of 24.86s in the junior 50m freestyle.
The borough’s boys finished second in the pool overall and 14-year-old Rennolls believes he can take his own form into the upcoming ASA National Championships.
“I feel pretty good after that, I came fourth last year and doing my preferred stroke this time made a huge difference,” said Rennolls.
“I’ve improved a lot over the last year, I’ve got into the nationals which I’ve never done before because the cut-off date for my age group was just after my birthday, July 20.
Henry Rennolls
“Now I’m hoping to get the British junior record, it’s going to be hard but I think I’ve got the capability.”
Bromley also struck gold in the pool through 15-year-old Michael Jacobs.
And he too hopes his senior 50m backstroke win will just be the beginning of a successful summer.
“It feels amazing to win gold for the second year running,” said Jacobs.
Michael Jacobs
“I’ve got nationals this summer so I’m hoping to do well in those. I’d hope to get a better place than my seventh last year.
“Since I’ve moved up an age group I’d want to at least retain my position and maybe boost up next year.”
Elsewhere, Lewisham football captain Korrey Henoy has already set his sights on a third gold medal after his side retained their title.
Premier League stars Raheem Sterling and Rio Ferdinand started their careers at the Games and Henoy says it serves as an inspiration.
“There aren’t many words to explain how I feel after winning this tournament,” said Henoy.
Lewisham's triumphant football squad
“It’s a great experience and I can’t thank our parents enough for supporting us because we wouldn’t have won without their support.
“My ambition is to go the whole way to the top and I think tournaments like these London Youth Games can be the springboard.”
The London boroughs and Balfour Beatty invest in the London Youth Games to build stronger communities through competitive sport.
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