Fleetwood powerlifter Rachel Normington takes firm grip on a Great Britain place for European Championships

A Fleetwood powerlifter is ranked the UK number one in her weight category and has qualified to represent Great Britain in the European Championships .... and she has only been competing for six months. Rachel Normington was first in her class at the southern qualifiers for the British Championship, which also secured her GB place. The 28-year-old former Fleetwood High School and Blackpool Sixth Form College student has made great progress in a short time, having only competed for the first time at an event at Fortitude Fitness in Poulton last October, when she finished last. Rachel (right), who organises her training around a full-time nursing job at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, told The Gazette: “I have been training for around three years but I didn’t want to start competing until I knew I was ready. “I was a bodybuilder previously but was rubbish at it. Through my powerlifting I have dropped four dress sizes and had a mental transformation.“That competition in Poulton gave me a kick up the backside and I’ve been training up to four hours a day.“I lifted 227.5kilos at Fortitude and in the British Championship qualifier I set a personal best of 287.5.”Rachel travelled to Surrey to enter the southern qualifiers because the equivalent northern event was full. But the effort was worthwhile as Rachel not only won a place at next month’s British Championships in Birmingham – she also won a place representing GB in the European Championships in Limerick, Ireland, in June.Rachel lifts with the ABPU Federation and prides herself on being a natural, drug-free competitor. She is most grateful to Muscleworks Therapy in Thornton for their support but would welcome sponsorship to help meet the costs of competing.