Oxenhope born weightlifter Sonia Reeve is heading to South Africa later this year after being crowned British Masters Champion.
She obliterated the U63kg field in Belfast earlier this month, smashing the deadlift record at that level by producing an enormous one of 187.5kg, when nobody else even topped 150kg.
Reeve, who now lives between Oakworth and Oldfield, admits that her extraordinary deadlift prowess at that level sets her apart, as the runner-up in her category bested her in the squats and bench section of the tournament.
But with that deadlift and subsequent British Masters triumph, Reeve secured her qualification for the World Championships in South Africa, which will be held in October.
She was the only person from her category to make it to the worlds, and she had to come through a gruelling qualification process to get there in the first place.
To even make it to Belfast, Reeve had to make it through a regional qualifier in York last August, where she set the previous deadlift record at her U63kg weight category with 182.5kg.
It was a family effort in Northern Ireland too, with Reeve’s son acting as her handler, so she will be hoping he can join her out in South Africa.
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