DENHOLME weightlifter Rebekah Tiler will be competing in the Rio Olympics from 4.30pm today. 

Rebekah, who at 17 is one of Great Britain's youngest athletes at the games, will compete in the women's 69kg category.

She broke two British records in winning the national title earlier this summer and is aiming for a place in the top 10.

She is a former Bingley Grammar School pupil and is being sponsored by Riddlesden butcher Ian Hewitt, of Hewitts Butchers in Bar Lane.

Mr Hewitt, who has been sponsoring Rebekah for two and a half years, first read about her earlier successes in the local press.

He decided to support her following a news story about cuts to funding for British weightlifters.

"Rebekah is a phenomenon," he said. "She's just 17 but she's lifting 20 odd stones above her head.

"All my customers are interested in her progress. We don't expect her to win in the Olympics – not this time – but in another four years, in Japan, I think she can easily be a gold medallist.

"Today we're all excited and we just hope she does really well. If she can equal her British record or even better it I'd be over the moon."

Among the groups and individuals who have been wishing Rebekah good luck today has been Keighley's Airedale Shopping Centre.

Centre manager Steve Seymour said: “To be an Olympic athlete at 17 is truly remarkable. Everyone in the town is so proud of her.

"I know everyone here at the centre has their fingers crossed for her this afternoon and we all can’t wait to see if she brings home a medal. 

"We’ve had a beach here in the centre as part of Keighley by the Sea so from our beach to the one in Rio, we want to say a huge ‘good luck’ to Rebekah. No matter what we know that she’ll do us all proud."