I was 13 years old when I started weightlifting as part of my athletics training.

To begin with it was just to help me strengthen my body for the sprints and long jump.

But I ended up being more interested in the weights than in the track!

Some 18 months later I was given my first international call-up as a weighlifter.

That's the good thing about weightlifting. Even if you don't want to specialise in it as a sport it can help you improve your strength and power for other sports.

Some people say 13 is too young to start weightlifting, but with lots of sports you can start as young as three or four.

After all most sports have some sort of an impact on the body and there's a risk of injury whatever you play.

I believe I'd have had more of an edge if I'd started maybe a year earlier than I did.

I feel I've always had to play catch-up.

It's not about pushing heavy weights when you start out. It's more about learning the fundementals and correct technique.

It's an uphill struggle if you don't get this right from the start.

That's why it's vital to have a good coach to give you guidance.

It was after I teamed up with coach Ken Price that I saw a big improvement.

In 1999 I won bronze at the World Junior Championships and scooped the European junior title.

Then came gold and two silvers at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002, followed by bronze at the European Championships a year later.

I've had a good couple years and now everything's targeted at Athens.

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