World Games: Great Britain's Ellie Steel 'feels good' before competition in Alabama

The World Games in Birmingham, Alabama will run from 7-17 July

British powerlifter Ellie Steel has her eyes set on another major title at the World Games in Birmingham, Alabama.

The 30-year-old won her first European Championship crown earlier this year, after three previous second-place finishes.

"It all came together on the day. I felt good and everything went to plan," Steel told BBC South Today.

"It was nice to stand on the podium and realise those parties I missed, those nights I went to bed early, paid off".

At the World Games the Great Britain athlete, who trains in Gosport, will compete in bench press, squat and deadlift in the 57kg weight class.

"Bench press is my favourite lift to train and the one that I'm closest to getting a world record in. My best ever bench in the 58kg weight category is 160kg and 152kg in the 57kg category."

Steel can train for up to 12 hours a week

The World Games, held every four years, is an international multi-sport event comprising of sports and disciplines that are not contested in the Olympics. There are 39 events including lifesaving, ultimate frisbee, lacrosse, orienteering, sumo and tug of war.

"It's the Olympics for powerlifting, there's an opening ceremony and everything, it's something I've always wanted to do."

Five foot tall, Ellie was a competitive diver as a young teenager before discovering powerlifting at university.

"Diving is all about core strength and explosive power and you put those two together and you have the perfect base for powerlifting," she added.

"When I started powerlifting 10 years ago, I couldn't get my head around the weights people were lifting, but now after years of training all of a sudden you realise you're lifting the same weights, which I never thought I could do.

"I train four days a week, two to three hours a session, it's quite a commitment and a lot of sacrifice but it's all come together and paid off this year."