WEIGHTLIFTING sensation Charlie Chester has added a World Championship bronze medal to her collection.

The LeAF Studio student has already been crowned British powerlifting champion and European silver and bronze medallist within the last year.

The 19-year-old competes against older, more experienced and heavier young women because she has only just stepped up to the Under 23, 84kg plus category.

Now she has spoken of her delight at the most recent success in Salo, Finland.

She said: "I never dreamt I would end up on the podium - it still hasn’t sunk in.

"I wanted to beat my personal targets but after just moving up an age and weight category I really never expected to get an overall medal."

In October last year, in her first major competition, Charlie was crowned sub-junior (U18s) champion in the British Classic Powerlifting Championships, where she also smashed the British record in both the squat and the deadlift.

In March, after moving up to junior (U23s) Charlie won overall bronze in the European championships, which were held in the Czech Republic – Charlie’s first competition abroad.

Now three months later the talented youngster added the overall World bronze, a World bronze in the squat and a World silver in the deadlift to her growing collection of medals.

Executive principal of the LeAF Academy, Gill Blanshard, said: "There’s just no stopping Charlie who continues to amaze us all with her success.

"As well as making her mark in the world of international powerlifting, Charlie has also been working incredibly hard at school, both training in her chosen field and also studying for her A-levels.

Charlie will collect her A level results in August before defending her title as British champion in October.