SSE Next Generation star Colette Will swapped the balance beam for barbells - and has never looked back.
Colette, 21, from Knightswood, Glasgow started her sporting career doing gymnastics at Glasgow School of Sport.
But the youngster was advised by her coach to give weightlifting a try and admits that at first she was hesitant as it “isn’t your typical girl’s sport”.
The Scots weightlifter, said: “Gymnastics builds core strength as well as the flexibility in your knee and shoulder joints that you need in weightlifting.
“So it turned out to be quite a comfortable transition.
“But at first when my coach suggested I might be good at weightlifting I was a bit reluctant, thinking ‘that’s not for me’ - it’s not really your typical girl’s sport.”
Colette is now part of SSE’s Next Generation programme, which provides vital financial and developmental support to 50 talented young athletes per year across the UK.
SSE is committed to helping its potential Commonwealth Games and Olympic medallists of the future to go for glory.
Alongside training and mentoring support, SSE is giving each of the young athletes £1,000 to fund training, travelling to competitions and buying sports equipment.
Colette’s weightlifting talent was demonstrated when, after only a few months of participating in the sport, she won the British under 18s championship at the age of 16.
She scooped the title at the British Senior Championships for two years running and is eagerly anticipating the Commonwealth Games.
Her best lifts so far in the gym are 60kg in the snatch and 78kg in the clean and jerk.
She described weightlifting as “a continuous competition with yourself”.
Colette said that adequate mental preparation is essential for her sport.
She said: “With each competition, the bar never changes. It’s your mind that changes.”
The Scot revealed that part of her mental preparation involves getting the make-up, hair and tan spot-on.
“If you look good, you feel good – it just gives me that bit of extra confidence,” she said.
Although she will not be competing at Glasgow 2014, Colette will be there as a coach.
As a proud sponsor of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, SSE is investing in more young sports stars like Colette.
SSE is urging fans to get behind their nation ahead of the Games by tweeting their support using #GoWales, #GoEngland, #GoScotland or #GoNI.
The Home Nation with the most tweets will receive additional SSE Next Generation funding to help more young sports stars to excel in their sport.