IT took about three seconds of competition for Elaine Pickup to be crowned WAF World arm wrestling champion in Lapland.

The 29-year-old from Darwen felled all who came before her with ease to achieve her ultimate dream of conquering the world and collecting a gold medal.

"Elaine was beating people in tenths of a second, she just destroyed them," said her brother, coach and British number one Neil Pickup. "It was awesome to watch."

Elaine, the eight times British and double European champion, just couldn't believe her victory in the 65kg weight category -- Britain's first ever female world arm wrestling champion.

"It was my ultimate dream to win and now I have won I don't know what to do!" said Elaine who competes under the title 'Lady Natural.'

And she revealed some ill-chosen words by her opponents coach in the final spurred her on. "I was competing against the Swedish number one in the final and I heard someone ask her coach if his girl was nervous was about competing against the British.

"He replied 'No, not at all' and I thought 'Right, I'll beat her.' I was nervous up to that point, even though I had got at least a silver, but then I knew I was going to get gold after that.

"I couldn't stop bouncing around once I'd won. In fact everyone said I was dead funny as even on the podium I was moving and giving thumbs up. I just don't think it had sunk in." With three titles safely under her belt this year, the aim next year is to make it four.

"There are two governing world championships -- it's similar to boxing -- and I lost out in the other world championship in Virginia last month due to a foul and picked up a bronze medal. I could have won it and now I would love two world championships, the European and the British title next year," added Elaine.

Brother Neil won two bronze medals -- for each arm -- in the 85kg category.