Strongwoman represents Yorkshire at Texas contest

Laura Hollywood has been training for Strongman competitions for three years

One of Yorkshire's strongest women is preparing to compete in the world finals of the Official Strongman Games in Texas next week.

Laura Hollywood, from Sheffield, was named Official Strongman European Champion in August when she won gold in the under 73kg (11st 7lb) category in the competition at York's Barbican.

Hollywood, who has been competing for just three years, said she was "really excited" to take on the challenge as it was her first competition on the world stage.

She said: "There's going to be faces and names I've looked up to over the last few years, they're going to be competing as well. It's the biggest weight class I've ever been part of."

The 36-year-old said training for the competition had been especially difficult as she had five events to "get my head around".

"The weights are the heaviest I've ever done," she said.

"Deadlift for example, I was maxing out around the 200 kilo (31 stone) mark and now I'm hitting 220 kilos (35 stone). So it's been a really fun prep hitting multiple reps of things that were a one-rep max previously."

The event includes a log press, which involves lifting heavy logs overhead

Less than a week from the event, Hollywood said she was slowing down the training and focusing on eating and managing her weight.

"I had my last training session yesterday and I'll spend the next week or so eating, making weight for the competition and conserving energy ready for the big weekend," she said.

"My bodyweight is managed throughout the whole year and the whole season. So I try not to go much more than about four or five kilos over my weight class and then we start cutting it back a little bit.

"I've got to drink eight to 10 litres of water for the next sort of four days and essentially that will help me lose the last three kilos."

The Texas competition includes a log press, deadlift ladders and stone lifting.

Hollywood, who will face 27 other women in the competition, said the log lift involved lifting the "weight of an average man" over her head, while the deadlifts would start at 180 kilos (28 stone).

"In this competition it's the natural stones rather than Atlas stones. So they're not a perfect spherical shape like you might have seen on the TV," she said.

"These are like going into the Peak District and picking up boulders."

Hollywood weighs in on Thursday and competes in the women's 73kg category on Friday.

"If I can get to day three, then I'll be happy, as long as I'm not fourth, I don't want to be fourth because that's close to podium," she said.

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