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Power-packed twins!

POWER-PACKED TWINS!

 To look at them, you    stopped when the twins    between us when we were
 wouldn't think that55 started winning competitions…100 competing against each other,’
 Laura and Amanda5    Aged just 10 and only two says Amanda, ‘it was just
 Fisher are Britain's strongest weeks into their training, the whoever did better on the day
 schoolgirls! But at the age twins entered their first and we were always pleased
 of 14, the twins are capable competition, and everyone was for each other. But now it’s
 of lifting more than their60 amazed when Laura took first105 nice to both get first prizes and
 own body weight! and Amanda second place. And we’re relieved not to have to
  that was to be the pattern over compete against each other.’
1    Laura and Amanda first the next two years as the girls9    To keep at the top of their
 became involved in swept aside all competition, sport the girls have to stick to a
 weightlifting four years ago65 coming first and second in110 strict training schedule, which
 after they watched a every event they entered. ‘We they have to fit around their
5 demonstration at a local youth were terrified at first because school work. But surprisingly
 club. It was then that they we didn’t know what to enough, neither Laura nor
 realised there was more to it expect,’ says Laura. ‘But once Amanda has to follow a strict
 than just muscles. ‘We used to 
 see weightlifting on TV and not 
10 think much of it,’ says Laura, 
 ‘but when we saw the 
 demonstration we realised 
 there was actually a lot of skill 
 involved.’ 
215    After the demonstration 
 Laura, Amanda and their 
 friends were invited to have a 
 go at lifting some weights 
 themselves. ‘I wasn’t too keen 
20 at first,’ admits Laura, ‘but 
 everyone else was having a go, 
 so eventually I did too. I was 
 shocked when I lifted 20kgs 
 straightaway!’ The coach 
25 asked if Laura had lifted70 you get on the stage you just115 diet. ‘I eat anything and
 weights before. ‘I hadn’t, but concentrate on what you’re everything,’ admits Laura - and
 he told me that I looked like a doing and the fear soon apart from their super-strength
 natural,’ Laura recalls. disappears.’ they are just like other 14-year-
3    Recognising that they6    The fact that the girls are old girls. ‘We both have
30 obviously had talent, the twins75 twins caused some problems120 boyfriends and we like going to
 were keen to do more at first. ‘Everybody made a fuss parties,’ Amanda says, ‘and like
 weightlifting, but, like their because they thought the most other teenagers, we have
 mum, they were initially same girl was being given two to hang around the streets
 worried about what would goes at lifting!’ laughs Laura. when we’re not at the gym
35 happen to their bodies. ‘We780    The highlight of the girls’125 because there isn’t much else
 both think that women body sporting careers came last year to do!’
 builders look awful,’ says when Amanda won the10    When it comes to boys,
 Laura, ‘and it was only after national schoolgirls’ most of them don’t believe the
 people explained that you don’t competition and Laura came a twins when they say they are
40 develop big muscles in85 close second. But then shortly130 weightlifters. ‘I think that’s
 weightlifting that we decided afterwards the girls were split because we’re girls and
 to give it a go.’ into different categories. haven’t got huge muscles.
4    But the initial worry about Although both are just over 5ft Some laugh when we tell them
 their bodies was nothing 4ins tall, Laura is 1kg heavier what we do and think it’s a
45 compared to the prejudice the90 than Amanda and now135 joke, but at least it gets a
 girls had to deal with at school. competes in the 60kgs-andover reaction. Anyway, as soon as
 ‘There were certain teachers class, while Amanda is in they see our trophies it sinks in
 who tried to stop us the 59kgs-and-under class. that we’re serious and they
 weightlifting,’ Amanda recalls.8    Being in different classes wouldn’t dare tease us about it
50 ‘They said it wasn’t a sport for95 means that the girls now come140 because they realise we’re
 the female sex and tried all home from competitions with stronger than them!’
 sorts of things to make us even more first-prize trophies! 
 stop.’ But the disapproval soon ‘There was never any jealousy ‘MIZZ’,March 27, 1996