BEVERLEY Rodgers is used to lifting heavy weights, so lifting the Basingstoke Gazette Sports Personality of the Year trophy was easy.

This year the award was an open vote for the readers and Rodgers came out on top despite stiff competition from other sports The Commonwealth and British Masters powerlifter bench press champion was described as an inspiration by the people who voted for her and she only took up powerlifting in 2011.

Her great 2015 started in February at the South Midlands divisional competition, finishing as best lifter.

A month later, Rodgers set a new British record in bench press on her way to gold medal and she took the overall silver medal.

In August, the lifter collected a silver in an All England competition and then at the British Classic a month later she broke her British record on her way to gold in the bench press.

A great year was completed with a trip to Vancouver in Commonwealth Championships and she won two gold medals broke her British record for the third time which was also a new Commonwealth record.

After receiving the award, Rodgers said: “I am a little bit shocked to won the award and I can’t really take it in.

“I started late in my sport, but have a real passion for it and train four days a week.

“When I was young as an athlete I always thought it would be nice to go to the sports awards. I finally made it aged 42 and to win makes it extra special.”

Rodgers is back in action in a few weeks time when she will compete in the unequipped British Masters.

The rest of the top five voted by the readers of the Gazette saw Basingstoke Bison players Jon Baston and Tomas Karpov finish joint second, with another Herd man Ciaran Long fourth and Hartley Wintney footballer Sam Argent was fifth.