Rio lift for student Rebekah

The 17-year-old, who moved to Todmorden from Denholme nine months ago, is one of only two lifters named by the British Olympic Association today for the August spectacular.

Tiler will compete in the women’s 69kg category while Sonny Webster from Bristol will feature in the men’s 94kg division.

Tiler, who has been coached by Eddie Halstead at Mytholmroyd for several years but now goes to Lilleshall three days a week, will be one of the youngest athletes representing Team GB this summer.

She is a member of British Weight Lifting’s UK Sport-funded World Class Programme, and will go to Rio as British champion, having broken two British records at last month’s national championships.

Already a multiple British record holder across both youth and senior levels, Tiler also won bronze at this year’s European Championships, finished fourth at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and won gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games last September.

She said: “I am so excited and honoured to be representing Team GB in Rio this summer; it’s a dream come true and something I’ve wanted ever since I got into the sport.

“The next few weeks of preparation are so important and thanks to the support from UK Sport & British Weight Lifting, I’m 100 per cent focused on ensuring that I’m in the best possible condition heading into Rio.

“I can’t wait to go out there and do my best!”

The athletes will be supported in Rio by team leader and British Weight Lifting performance director Tommy Yule and British coaches Halstead and Dave Sawyer.

British Weight Lifting CEO, Ashley Metcalfe, said: “I want to wish huge congratulations to both Rebekah and Sonny on their Olympic selection – we are hugely proud of their performances and their places as part of Team GB are thoroughly well-deserved.

“They are both outstanding young lifters, with enormous potential and we hope they really enjoy the opportunity to showcase their talents on the highest stage.”

The Rio 2016 Olympic Games will take place from August 5 to 21 and around 350 athletes from 23 sports are expected to represent Team GB.

Tiler is the third Calderdale athlete named for Rio after wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft and wheelchair basketball player Harry Brown.