Louise Sugden, 33, a para-power lifter from High Wycombe, was awarded £1,000 from the SportsAid’s Bucks Sporting Lunch Club on Friday with Mark Foster, Britain's most decorated male swimmer, presenting the award.

Created in 2011, the club is a way for local individuals, businesses and trusts - who want to support young, talented athletes in Buckinghamshire - to raise money to help with training, travel or equipment costs.

Sugden, who has just returned from the Commonwealth Games in Australia’s Gold Coast, with a silver medal in para-powerlifting, said: “I’m not sure whether it has all really sunk in yet – first a silver at the Commonwealth Games and now this award. It’s been a great few weeks.”

Louise’s dedication to her sport, her commitment to training and drive to do well impressed the judges. She trains three times a week at her local gyms in Beaconsfield, Chalfont St Giles and High Wycombe and at the world class facilities at Powerbase at Loughborough University where the Great British Weightlifting Olympics’ and Paralympics’ teams train. The £1,000 award will help with her travel and accommodation costs.

Louise first played wheelchair basketball, but once coaches noticed her natural strength, they believed she would be perfect fit for powerlifting.

She added: “I love the sport because you can see you’re making improvements so clearly - one week you can lift one weight and the next a little bit more." 

Louise cites Anne Wild, five-time Paralympian basketball player and former team mate as her biggest influence.

Sugden said: “Anne is always the first person that springs to mind as she inspired me from the beginning to work hard to achieve whatever I dreamed.”

Louise is now looking to the future and aims to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics but there are a number of milestones to reach before then. 

She added: “When I was new to the sport one of my greatest achievements was lifting 100kgs having started at 70kgs. Now I’ve competed in two major competitions including the World Championships. 

"Looking ahead, I’d like to take part in more European and World competitions with the ultimate aim of reaching Tokyo in two years’ time. 

"If I remain focused on my training, I’m confident that I can lift 120kgs plus to compete at a Paralympic level.”