European strongest woman 'over the moon' with win

Athlete Laura Hollywood says she now wants to compete for a world title

A woman who has been crowned Europe's Strongest Woman said she felt "over the moon" to have won the event.

Laura Hollywood, from Sheffield, took gold in the under 73kg (11st 7lb) category in the Official Strongman European Championship, held at the Barbican in York.

Points were awarded for each of five events across two days, after which the personal trainer came out in top spot.

The 36-year-old said: "I was not expecting it but I deserve it because I work hard."

Training for the event was draining but fulfilling, Laura says

The event involved challenges that saw competitors lift about three times their bodyweight over the weekend, Ms Hollywood said.

"There was a two-hour gap between events and it was emotionally draining," she said.

"Lots of adrenaline and getting hyped-up, then after the event you have to calm down and then get ready for the next one."

Ms Hollywood said she had gone through "really intense" training ahead of the competition, which included at least 12 hours of workouts a week and eating about 3,000 calories a day.

"It's been a hard run," she said.

"It becomes a job in itself just eating enough."

She said her diet was not particularly strict but included lots of protein such as steak, along with fibre and cake and biscuits: "I don't particularly enjoy cooking, but I enjoy eating."

Ms Hollywood said she became involved in weightlifting "by accident" when she attended a class and found she was good at it.

"I did some local competitions in Rotherham and it just grew from there," she said.

"I look up to Chloe Brennan, the champion last year, and I was in awe of her and thought 'I can never do that, but it'd be great if I could'.

"Then there I was holding the trophy and I'm over the moon."

In November, she is planning to travel to Texas to take part in the Official Strongman Games world finals.

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