Strongwoman sets sights on US after setting records

A Bradford weightlifter with cerebral palsy has said she is "excited" to take on her next challenge after setting two world records at a disabled strongwoman contest.

Alana Walker, 34, from Allerton, set records for seated sandbag and axle deadlift at the GB Disabled World Record Day event at Iron Island in Bury St Edmunds on 12 July.

Walker lifted 51.5kg (113.5lb) in the sandbag-to-shoulder lift and 201.4kg (444lb) in the axle deadlift - despite facing heatwave conditions.

She will next compete in September's Static Monsters World Championships in Phoenix, Arizona, and said she was "excited, confident and a little bit nervous".

"We didn't know how my body would react to it," Walker said.

"With my condition, because I'm epileptic, and I've got cerebral palsy, the heat can exacerbate my symptoms.

"But they're my best events. Definitely the deadlift and sandbag-to-shoulder are the main ones I'm really good at."

Walker - an administrator who trains at Another Breed Gym in Idle - said she had to adapt a lot of the regular lifts for her disability.

"The way I lift is slightly different to other lifters," she explained.

"Because of paralysis down my left side, I deadlift with a sling attached to my arm instead of two hands.

"And then with Atlas stones, I'd hug it more than try and grip it with two hands."

She got into the sport after enjoying casual weightlifting in the gym and then visiting the Arnold Sports Festival in Birmingham, a strength exhibition and competition where she discovered GB Disabled Strongman.

"It was a good way to look after my condition and it kept me wanting to do rehabilitation for it," she said.

"Strongman made training a little bit different so it didn't become a chore. I could set goals in competitions or events."

Walker will face athletes from across the globe when she heads to the US next month.

"Emotionally I'm quite nervous but in terms of the events I'm confident," she said.

"Every competition they try to put on slightly different events.

"So for the World Records it was mostly stuff I knew nine times out of 10 I'd be successful in, whereas with the Worlds they've thrown me in the deep end."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.