LOUISE NORDEN is set to represent GB in the World Bench Press Championships in Killeen, Texas, from April 16-22, just a year after taking up the sport.

Her meteoric rise through the ranks saw her finish runner-up in the U63kg senior category at the British Championships in bench press last month. She pressed 80kg.

Having been invited to join GB squad training, Louise so impressed the coaches that she was selected for the trip to the States.

Powerlifting – which is included in the Paralympics but not so far the Olympics – consists of three disciplines – squat, bench press and deadlift.

“I’ve done weights in the gym on and off since I was 16 years old,” said Louise, who is originally from Kungsbacka near Gothenburg in Sweden, but now lives with her partner in Latton.

“I moved to Britain in August 2011 to work as an au pair in the Bibury area and I also did part-time bar work at The Crown in Cirencester.

“With encouragement from fitness coaches I entered three strong women competitions in 2015 – Chippenham’s Strongest, Nailsworth’s Strongest and the Nailsworth Winter Strength. They are the sort of competitions where you lift kegs and flip tyres. To my surprise I won them all.”

Louise works as a duty manager at the Cricklade Leisure Centre where she also doubles as a fitness coach and personal trainer. For her own specific weights work she trains at the Cirencester Leisure Centre and at Nailsworth Strength and Fitness, the base of her coach Liam Kilyon.

“In January 2016, Liam suggested I should try powerlifting – and I got hooked on it really quickly,” said Louise.

“But I suffered a disc injury which set me back and I tried to come back too quickly for my first competition which was the South West Open Championships held at Cheltenham in April.

“I weighed in 300 grams too heavy for the U63kg category so I had to compete up a level at 72kg. My goal was just to qualify and be careful with the injury but I managed to finish third.

“It was a massive learning experience because I was able to gain experience and learn the commands of the sport without putting too much pressure on myself.

“I followed that by coming third in the South Midlands Open and the All Englands and ended my season by winning the Mick Barry Push and Pull in Cheltenham in the U72kg category with a personal best of 82.5kg.”

Again she had low expectations when she entered the British Championships and can’t quite believe she will be on the plane to Texas. “I just wanted to have fun and enjoy the competition in the British so I was surprised to finish second.

“The coaches tell me I have great strength and great potential so hopefully I can have many years in the sport representing GB as I have only been doing it for a year .

“I want to be as active as I can. After the Worlds there are the British Championships in the squat and the dead lift and the European Championships take place in Finland during August.

“I just loved being part of the GB squad training – it was like one big family community with no big egos. I hope I can do them proud in Texas.”

The cost of the trip will be in excess of £1,500, with flights, accommodation and food, etc, being entirely self-funded.

Louise has acquired some financial backing from Cricklade Leisure Centre, Cantillon Electrical Services and the Cricklade Fun Run – but she could do with some more help.

If you would like to contribute, go to https://www.gofundme.com/world-championships-bench-press.