Powerlifters earn Beijing calls

Great Britain has named a team of four athletes for the powerlifting competition at this summer's Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Newark athlete Natalie Blake will compete in her third consecutive Games in the women's -48kg category.

Northampton's Anthony Peddle (men's -48kg) and Jason Irving (-56kg), who is from Manchester but now lives in the USA have also been selected.

Londoner Ali Jawad will make his Paralympic debut in the -75kg category.

The 19-year-old student is the current European junior champion in his event.

Beijing will be the sixth Games for Peddle, who made his Paralympic debut in Seoul in 1988.

The 37-year-old won gold in Sydney in 2000 but a shoulder injury hampered his chances last time out in Athens.

Irving, who won silver in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, finished fifth in Athens, while Blake, who made her Paralympic debut in Sydney aged 17, will be hoping to improve on her fourth place in 2004.

British Powerlifting head coach, Jon Amos, said: "The standard of competition is consistently rising all the time within the sport so these athletes should be proud of themselves and of the opportunity they have justly earned to represent their country in Beijing.

"Taking the same mental attitude with them to Beijing as it has taken for them to qualify should see them all mixing it with the best."