High Wycombe-born weightlifter Sonny Webster has been included in Team GB’s squad for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

The Games will be 22-year-old Webster’s first and he will appear in the men’s 94kg division.

While Webster has competed at various other competitions in the past, including the Commonwealth Games, he acknowledges Rio will be the biggest event of his career.

“The Olympics is undoubtedly the biggest stage for the sport, and to be given the opportunity to represent my country in Rio this summer is something I am incredibly proud of,” he said.

“I’ve been training well and my recent performance at the British Championships has given me a fantastic platform to build on.

“The next few weeks of preparation are absolutely crucial and I’ll be doing all that I can to get the best possible result for the team in Rio.”

The former European junior bronze medallist will be hoping to replicate the sort of form which saw him break the under-23 record at the 2016 British Championships.

Any potential medal success he has would see him become the first British man to do so at an Olympic Games since David Mercer in 1984.

Webster’s selection comes alongside fellow Olympic debutant Rebekah Tiler, and British Weightlifting performance director Tommy Yule is delighted with their inclusion.

“I’m very proud of both Rebekah and Sonny and their effort in getting selected to represent Team GB in Rio this summer,” he said.

“Both have been progressing really well; Rebekah winning senior medals both at the Europeans in April and last month’s British Championships.

“Sonny also set new British under-23 records and achieved personal bests in what was the final competition before the Games.

“Our focus is now on maintaining and building on their progress over the next few weeks, to give both athletes the best chance of performing in Rio.”

With the weightlifting starting on Saturday, August 6, the athletes have a limited time to prepare.

Team GB’s Chef de Mission, Mark England, congratulated them on their inclusion and says the Games will represent the next step in what he believes will be impressive careers for Webster and Tiler.

He said: “Both athletes are young and have shown a huge amount of promise in the last few years and I hope to see that continue in Brazil.

“A first Olympic experience is an incredibly exciting one and their success at this stage of their athletic careers bodes well for the future of weightlifting in this country.”