Suffolk power-lifting Paralympian gearing up for Paris Paralympics
They begin in Paris on the 28th August
Last updated 20th Aug 2024
With just eight days until the Paralympics begin, we've been speaking to a powerlifter in Suffolk who's gearing up to compete in Paris.
Zoe Newson from East Bergholt already has two bronze Paralympic medals, along with a silver from the 2021 World Para Powerlifting Championship.
Despite this, she told us she till gets nervous: "I think sometimes, because I've watched a bit of the Olympics, I get more nervous watching it because I know in a few weeks that's going to be me.
"...Each (Paralympic) game has been different for me and I think for me, I know it's a big competition, and know lots of are people watching, but I just have to treat it like a normal competition."
Zoe told us that this time around training has been going well.
In the last Olympics at Tokyo, she picked up a small injury before leaving, which she has since recovered from: "Touch wood, everything's going well at the minute."
When it comes down to the event itself we asked her about any pre-lifting rituals that she has to get in the zone: "If I'm quiet, I think I'm going to let people down and stuff like that.
"My coaches who train me, on the day, they know that I need to have a laugh and have high spirits and muck about and that keeps me calm."
She is grateful to everyone who has helped her to get to this position: "Without the support behind me, I'd never be up to where I am now, so thank you to everyone who supported me.
"Thank you to the hundreds of people who have come to watch me up and down the country, every couple of months.
"It's been a good ride so far, but watch this space."