The youngest ever Commonwealth Games weightlifter is “on track and in shape” for her first senior international competition.

Team England weightlifter Zoe Smith, 16, will be looking to add a medal to the gold she won at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India, in 2008.

She said: “This is my first senior international but I’m pretty confident. To do well in my first Commonwealths would be a huge achievement.”

The Kent schoolgirl, who competes in the 58kg category, has taken time off from her A-levels to represent England in Delhi.

She’ll be aiming to beat her personal bests in both the snatch and the clean and jerk, looking to lift 90kg and 116kg respectively.

Zoe, who was a gymnast before moving to weightlifting, said she had an idea of what the games in India would be like after her experience in Pune.

She said: “There’s a great atmosphere, I feel really secure in the village and I’m really enjoying myself.  This is quite a bit bigger [than the Youth Games] but it’s the same kind of atmosphere, very friendly.

“It’s really good food. Me and my teammate have decided as soon as we’ve finished we’ll pig out in the food hall.”

She will have a lot of experienced support to draw on when she competes on 6 October as coach Andy Callard is a five-time Commonwealth medallist for England.

“Any tips he can give me to take his experience on-board is going to help me,” she said.