A sportswoman whose dreams of being a professional footballer were shattered when she suffered a devastating injury has turned her life around to become a powerlifter.
Takara Hawthorne-Smith’s self-belief helped her change a “heartbreaking” negative into a positive after she tore ligaments and damaged cartilage in her knee when she was a teenager.
The 24-year-old from Wolverhampton said: “I decided to do powerlifting after my last operation when I was having physiotherapy.
“I started going to the gym on my own and training to build stamina and I have never looked back since.
“I want to help people feel better about themselves and get motivated.”
Takara started playing football when she was just four or five and from the age of 11 she played for the Wolverhampton Wanderers.
But when she was playing for the under 16 team she suffered a debilitating injury to her knee.
She said: “I was 15 or 16 when I hurt my knee – they told me it was just a sprain so I kept playing on it but when I hurt it again two years later they found it was much worse.
“I was devastated because I had a trial for Arsenal and I was frustrated that I couldn’t perform 100%.
“It was heartbreaking to know I could have been playing for the side.
“That’s when I hit rock bottom but I still wanted to stay in the fitness industry.
“People said to me I was quite strong so I should try powerlifting.”
Although Takara only started powerlifting in 2015, she entered her first competition in December and came first. She has three more competitions coming up this year.
Takara, who runs classes at The Gym group in Wolverhampton, said: “I have always believed in myself and that I can do anything I can put my mind to.
“I would say to anyone who wants to fulfil their goals is to write them down – you are more likely to achieve goals if you write them down.
“Don’t be scared to ask for help – just follow your dreams even if you have people telling you you can’t do it.
“Believe you can do it, anything is possible.”
Takara was inspired by athletes like world champion powerlifter Kimberly Walford and wants to try and break her hero’s records.
She trains three times a week (back and chest Monday, legs Wednesday and shoulders and arms Friday) for squat, bench and deadlift. She can deadlift 200kg but hopes to get up to 240kg this year.
Courtesy of: Irish Examiner