Powerlifter Shachar Head, from Newton Abbot, is British Champion in her weight category.

She took the title after competing with 16 other women in the BDFPA (British Drug Free Powerlifting Association) British Championships at the Talbot Campus of Bournemouth University.

Lifting in the 80kg class, Head, 14, posted three personal bests, set four new Teenage One (14/15-year-old) European records and, in the process, broke three world bests in the Teenage One category.

Her first lift of the day was the squat and, after three straightforward lifts, Head opted for a fourth lift of 112.5kg and, under the watchful gaze of James Cox, her advisor for the day, set the first of her many records and set the bar for a record-breaking morning's lifting.

In the bench press a 67.5kg lift proved another personal best and despite a valiant attempt at 72.5kg, the bar was adjudged to have been raised unevenly and called a no lift.

However, the world best of 70kg is now firmly in her sights.

While the deadlift is usually Head's speciality, after two personal bests earlier in the day, she had run out of steam and a 132.5kg deadlift was the extent of her efforts.

The total lift of 312.5kg meant that Head was one of only five women with a cumulative lift of more than 300kg, and her performances proved that there could be more to come at the European Championships from this prodigious teenager.

A gauge as to how good these lifts are is the British and World qualifying mark for a Teenage One female in the 80kg class, which is set at a total lift of 187.5kg.

Head, who finished ninth out of the 17 women based on Schwartz Points (a formula based on amount lifted and the bodyweight), was quick to thank the PE department at Newton Abbot College, where she is a GCSE PE student, and her training partners at Steve's Gym, Newton Abbot.

Head is now looking forward to a call-up to represent Great Britain in the European and World Championships in Bournemouth and Glasgow respectively.

While these events are in the British Isles, next year could see her travelling further afield.

Her powerlifting journey is now proving costly and any local companies interested in sponsoring her can contact her or her parents on 01626 203950 or by e-mail at [email protected]">[email protected].