Smith relishing first step onto senior stage in Delhi

By Tom Reynolds, Sportsbeat

WEIGHTLIFTER Zoe Smith will be one of England's babies at next month's Commonwealth Games - but the 16-year-old insists the only tears in India will be tears of joy.

DELHI BOUND: Zoe Smith has high hopes of making her presence felt on the global stage at the Commonwealth Games next month

Smith was given the nod last month to be part of the England team for the showpiece Delhi event as part of a 12-strong weightlifting squad heading to the Delhi.

Smith has happy memories of India having claimed the Commonwealth Youth Games title there back in 2008 - winning gold in the -53kg category aged just 14.

Coach Andy Callard - who will also coach the England squad in Delhi - was not shy in predicting Smith's previous Indian success two years ago.

And while she was quick to doubt Callard back then Smith insists she can live up to his lofty predictions this time round by marching to gold in India.

"The Commonwealths are going to be my first senior international that I have ever done so it is going to be a big event and a big step into the senior international world," said Smith - who won silver in the 58kg class at the European Youth Championships in Spain earlier this summer.

"I am doing pretty well so far and my coach reckons I am definitely on to potentially get a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

"When he says that I can get gold it does put a little bit of pressure on me and make me nervous but he has never failed me before when he has said things like that.

"In 2008 I went to the Commonwealth Youth Games and he said ‘I think you'll get gold' and before I went I was just thinking, ‘oh I think he has gone mad' but I ended up getting gold while I was out there so I don't see that shouldn't translate to the senior championships.

"The Commonwealths are going to be my first senior international that I have ever done so it is going to be a big event and a big step but I think I can live up to my potential."