DENHOLME weightlifter Rebekah Tiler has been selected for this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio.

The teenager will compete in the women’s 69kg category and, at the age of 17, will be one of the youngest athletes representing Great Britain.

Her selection comes after a successful season to date, in which she has won a European Championship bronze and broken two national records in winning gold at the recent British Championships.

The more experienced Zoe Smith had been favourite to claim the solitary women's spot for Rio but she has been hit by injury.

On making her Olympic debut, the former Bingley Grammar School pupil said: “I am so excited and honoured to be representing Team GB in Rio this summer; it’s a dream come true and something I’ve wanted ever since I got into the sport.

“The next few weeks of preparation are so important and thanks to the support from UK Sport & British Weightlifting, I’m 100 per cent focused on ensuring that I’m in the best possible condition heading into Rio and I can’t wait to go out there and do my best.”

Tiler finished fourth at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and won gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games last September.

Joining her as GB's other representative at weightlifting will be Sonny Webster, who will feature in the men’s 94kg division.

British Weightlifting performance director Tommy Yule, said: “I’m very proud of both Rebekah and Sonny and their efforts in getting selected to represent Team GB in Rio this summer.

“Both have been progressing really well; Rebekah winning senior medals both at the Europeans in April and last month’s British Championships, and Sonny also setting new British under-23 records and achieving 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.”

The Rio Olympic Games will take place from August 5-21.