Breeze, a 29-year-old PE teacher based in Devon, made history four years ago in Athens when she became the first British female weightlifter to compete in the Games.

 

There, she equalled her British record in the 58 kg clean and jerk with 120kg but only 92.5 kg in the snatch which left her back in ninth place overall.

 

But two years later in Melbourne she won the 2006 Commonwealth Games 63kg title, setting three Games records in the process.

 

Breeze, previously a taekwondo and judo player, said: “I am absolutely delighted to get a place, all the hard work has paid off and I’m really looking forward to getting out there.” 

 

Breeze was finally handed an invitational place after backlog in processing pre-Games drug testing samples meant the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) had to delay their decision over which lifters would be allowed to participate.

 

She will face a stiff test against home favourite Qiu Hongmei.

 

Fiona Lothian, the World Class Weightlifting performance manager, said: “It’s absolutely great for British Weightlifting to have an Olympic place.

 

"This will be Michaela’s second Games and I am sure her performance will benefit from this.

 

 

"She is an inspiration to the youngsters in the World Class Weightlifting squad whose sights are set on London 2012.”