Judo training was crucial in my gold medal winning performance at the Loddon Valley Leisure Centre.
My family and friends were amazed, as it was the first time I had done power lifting, I just saw it as a big boost to take part and never expected a gold medal. To then be chosen as the girl with the most international potential left us speechless.

The National Junior Games caters for 13 to 18 year olds with disabilities and is where top athlete like Tanni Grey-Thompson made her breakthrough. Every disabled teenager can take part in sport!

This year I competed in two competitions the first one was the National Junior Games 2003 a more fun event for all age ranges from 13 to 18 years. I had to go in for a weigh in before the actual lifting just to make sure that I didn't lift more than your own body weight. Then I had some practice goes and started on 30kg and gradually went up and up until I got up to 60kg and I stopped there because that was my peak. This was only the trial.

The actual competition was on Sunday there were about 8 boys and about 6 girls who took part. The lady who was reading out the names of the kids and teenagers starting with the boys and then finally the lady was about to read the girls names out.

She read my name out first so I went to where the bench was and lied down onto it and strapped my legs so they wouldn't move whilst I had the bar in the air. I lifted 57.5 kg and when everyone had finished lifting the awards were read out and from the girls I was awarded a gold medal and I was so happy.

The weekend after that I took part in a competition called The National Wheelchair Championships my first National competition this time there were 6 boys and 4 girls who took part.
When it was my turn to lift I went and lay on the bench and the man behind me who was making sure that I didn't drop the bar on my head.  He lifted the bar and gave it to me and I gripped onto it and said "my bar" to let them know that I had it ready.

Then the official said start so I lifted the bar from the man's hands and carefully lowered it to my chest and I did that until I reached 55kg.

Then when everyone had finished doing his or her lifts it was the presentation and I won another gold medal. I was speechless. I am training well still; my personal best is now 70kg.

 

The award photo was at the National Junior Games 2002 at Stoke Mandeville Stadium where Olivia won the Andy Wallace International Potential Award for Outstanding Athletes.

At the HSA National Wheelchair Championships 2003 at Stoke Mandeville Stadium where Olivia won a gold medal.