THE efforts of two young people from Keighley district who have competed in the Rio Olympics have been praised by their local supporters.

Denholme weightlifter Rebekah Tiler and Keighley boxer Muhammad Ali were both in action at the games.

Rebekah took part in the women's 69kg category last Wednesday, (August 10) where she equalled her own British record with an accumulated total of 227kg, earning her 10th place overall.

Seventeen-year-old Rebekah said it had been an amazing experience to compete in the Olympics and hopes she has inspired more British girls to take up weightlifting.

Rebekah broke two British records in winning the national title earlier this summer, and had been aiming for a place in the top 10 at the Olympics.

She is a former Bingley Grammar School pupil and is being sponsored by Keighley butcher Ian Hewitt, of Hewitts Butchers in Bar Lane, Riddlesden.

Mr Hewitt, who has been sponsoring Rebekah for two and a half years, first read about her earlier competitive successes in the local press.

He decided to offer his support following a news story about cuts to funding for British weightlifters.

"Rebekah is a phenomenon," he said. "She's just 17 but she's lifting 20 odd stones above her head.

"All my customers are interested in her progress. In another four years, in Japan, I think she can easily be a gold medallist. Without a doubt.

"I thought she was absolutely fantastic in Rio. She did exactly what we'd expected and hoped she'd do."

Keighley boxer Muhammad Ali said he was "gutted" to have had to bow out of the Olympics early on Monday, (August 15) after losing his first bout.

He was beaten by Venezuelan Yoel Segundo Finol, who claimed a unanimous points victory in the last-16 contest.

Finol was awarded the bout 30-27, winning each round 10-9 according to each of the three judges.

Muhammad, 20, is a Bradford College student and flyweight boxer, who reached the Olympics in only his first full year in senior amateur boxing.

His uncle Razaq Hussain, who owns Kashmir Food Store in Lawkholme, was among a large group of friends and family who gathered to watch Muhammad's fight screened on television on Monday afternoon.

Mr Hussain said: "He gave it his best shot and though it's not the result he wanted, and he is a bit down at the moment he will get back up.

"It's a learning curve and winning and losing are both part of the game.

"Just getting to the Olympics was a big achievement in itself and it's not the end for him, it's just the start of his journey."

Mr Hussain added that he wanted to thank everyone in Keighley and further afield who had been supportive of Muhammad, noting that messages of encouragement had been sent from as far away as Scotland and Wales.

Former professional boxer and ex Keighley mayor George Metcalf said Muhammad had been let down by some poor quality refereeing during his match.

"I told him on Facebook that he'd just been very unlucky, and that he had not let himself down," he said.

"He got to the Olympics on his own merit and he should be proud.

"He's only 20 and he's got the opportunity to get to Tokyo in four years time.

"I trained him for his first fight years ago, and I knew back then that he had talent."