AN OLYMPIC weightlifter has visited a Darlington gym to tutor athletes wishing to try out the sport.

Sonny Webster, who is British number one in the 94kg weight class, was contacted on social media and invited to the Paragon strength conditioning facility by its owner Stephen McLean.

Mr Webster, from Bristol, was the only British male weightlifter to compete in the Rio 2016 Olympics, finishing 14th.

His next target is aiming for a gold medal in his weight class at next year’s Commonwealth Games, being held in Australia.

Mr Webster began putting on weightlifting seminars around the country in order to finance his full-time training after the sport lost its national funding three years ago.

He said: “I wasn’t going to let it be the limiting factor in me achieving my dreams and I have also had great support from sponsors.

“The group here today are all very keen and it is just about giving them a taster and teaching them how to do the techniques correctly from the start.”

The 23-year-old said Rio had been a “crazy experience”, adding: “It was always my dream to become an Olympian and to finally get the opportunity to do that was very special.

“Awareness of the sport is getting bigger and the standard of weightlifters in this country is getting better and better.”

Mr McLean, from Stockton, is a former footballer with Hartlepool United, but was forced to quit when he suffered a serious injury aged 20.

Undeterred, he later gained a first class sports science degree from Teesside University and has worked with international coaches in a number of disciplines.

He also coached the elite Rugby League squad at Newcastle’s Northumbria University, before setting up the Paragon gym on Darlington’s Borough Road industrial estate.

He said: “This is the pinnacle in terms of education, learning from elite level GB Olympic athletes.

“The things Sonny does are phenomenal and he is a nice guy to boot as well.”