Local two-time Bronze-winning wrestler Georgina Nelthorpe has spoken about how much competing in the Commonwealth Games means to the Burnley sportswoman.
The 25-year-old beat Sierra Leone’s Madsu Koroma in less than thirty seconds. A fall pinned Madusa's shoulders, granting Nelthorpe an automatic win in the women's 76kg freestyle event.
The Burnley bronze champion, who works as a Warehouse Customer Service Manager for the Burnley-based warehouse and distribution company, Fagan & Whalley, bagged herself the medal on August 6 and has been over the moon since then.
Georgina fell in love with wrestling while living in Canada for nine years, where she was encouraged to take up the sport by her school teachers.
When she moved back to the North West in 2016, she pursued the sport at local clubs, with dreams of representing her country nationally.
It didn’t take long for her dreams to come true, as Nelthorpe won her first bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games before being the only person in England to be awarded a medal at the European Wrestling U23 championships in 2019.
Her success in this year's Commonwealth Games comes as no surprise to those closest to her, who witnessed the hard work and determination Georgina puts into training on a daily basis. She said: “The pride I feel having won a bronze medal for the England team is unreal.
“The whole experience was overwhelming; I couldn’t believe I’d beat my opponent so quickly, but at the same time, my goal was to go for the gold medal, so it’s all mixed emotions!
“Nevertheless, I’m exceptionally proud of my accomplishment, and I’m excited to continue training. I train every day, on and off the mat, with a minimum of two hours a day, four days a week on the mat, and the rest of the time in the gym.”
Discussing what’s next on the agenda for her wrestling goals, Georgina explains: “Since day one, I’ve always said I wanted to be an Olympian and bring home the gold medal for England, so I’ve got my eyes set on the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.”
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