ELSPETH McLeod, from Taunton, has finished sixth in the Under-23 category of the Powerlifting World Championships, the most prestigious tournament in the sport, writes Jonty Head.

The 22-year-old said she was ‘incredibly proud’ of the result, as her deadlift of 147kg means that she can carry the weight of an adult male gorilla.

Her success is made all the more remarkable by her having overcome a hip injury that left her unable to walk just six days before the competition.

She said: “Injury is tough, but when you’re that close to a competition you just have to keep going and pretend it’s not there.”

The Somerset competitor was boosted by having good support at the event, which was held last month in Calgary, Canada.

McLeod’s whole family, plus her boyfriend and his mother, flew out across the Atlantic to cheer her on from the sidelines.

Their support clearly meant a lot to McLeod, who commented: “Honestly I can’t put into words how nice it was of them to do that for me.”

Her brutal training regime consists of more than 16 hours a week in the gym, as well as an hour a day of stretching and a strictly controlled diet.

She added: “There are days I’d rather do anything except train, but you need dedication and commitment, otherwise you won’t get to where you want to be.

“[After this result], it all seems worth it.”