THE three women vying for the top honour at the 2019 Oxfordshire Sports Awards hope their very different stories prove an inspiration to all.

National wheelchair dance champion Chloe Kiddie and Great Britain athlete Alice Hopkins are on the sportswoman of the year shortlist for tonight’s event.

They are up against world-record holding powerlifter Manon Bradley, who wants her story to blaze a trail in Oxfordshire.

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She said: “It’s great that the sport has been acknowledged because it’s not that well-known.

“I challenge the stereotypes about powerlifting, particularly the age and gender.

“You’d expect it to be a male –dominated sport and people don’t expect me to be lifting the sorts of weights I do.

“It’s a sport you can do into your 50s, 60s, 70s and even 80s.”

Read also: OXFORDSHIRE SPORTS AWARDS: Meet the trio competing for sportsman of the year

Witney-based Bradley, 53, can boast a haul of global titles, while a 115kg squat at September’s European Championships broke her own six-year world record.

She is also the first female president of the British drug-free powerlifting association.

Kiddie, also from Witney, knows all about that winning feeling, taking gold at the single freestyle class 2 National Paradance Championships in June.

Read also: OXFORDSHIRE SPORTS AWARDS: Who is up for junior sportsman of the year?

This is despite only taking up the sport three years ago on a friend’s advice.

The 26-year-old is part of the West Oxfordshire Wheelchair Dance group that has won multiple national titles, but revealed the sport means far more than just silverware.

She said: “It has helped my fitness and given me a lot of joy. I can express myself.

“I never thought I could do it but I have – anyone can if they put their minds to it.

“But I hope it gets more coverage as it’s such a fantastic sport and people get so much out of it.”

Read also: OXFORDSHIRE SPORTS AWARDS: Who could win the junior sportswoman title?

Oxford City AC member Hopkins broke through on the international stage, starting with her first call-up to the Great Britain squad at the Indoor Combined Events International match in Wales in January.

The 20-year-old then retained her long jump title at the England Under 23 Championships to qualify for the European games, finishing seventh.

And Hopkins wants the next generation at Oxford City AC to match her achievements.

She said: “It’s great to be up against the other girls.

“It’s lovely to represent Oxford and inspire a lot of the kids in the club.

“I always looked up to (fellow Oxford City athletes) Hannah England and Nathan Douglas, so I’m hoping to follow in their footsteps.”