Last week Christina won both Commonwealth and Oceana Bench-Press gold for Masters women in Aukland, New Zealand. Back in her home gym outside of Burnie, she seems to still be a little shocked at her success.

"I've never had a sporting moment in my life, now this," she says with an excited laugh. "My preparation hadn't been the best because of an injury so I lowered my expectations... I told people 'I've just come to do some little lifts'," she says.

Of course, such an approach is brilliant sports psychology and along with the gold came a new Australian Masters womens record of 77.5kg.

Christina, 44, is a mother of two who decided it was time to get in shape after the rigours of having children. She asked a personal trainer what sport might suit her and after deeming her to be completely inept at anything requiring speed and cardio-fitness, he suggested she might excel as a strength athlete.

From her first lift, Christina felt the buzz and while training was satisfying, the psychologist in her knew that the goal-setting that comes with competition would take her further.

Earlier this year she was successful at the National Titles but even then she was surprised to realise that she could represent Australia, let alone succeed at the international level.

Her farmer husband Ian says that throughout Christina's rapid development as a power athlete, he has become ever more respectful - possibly even better behaved!

"Ian has been wonderfully supportive and one of the main things that has changed is that he will no longer let me open any jars or things like that... Anything that needs to be forced a bit I have a habit of breaking!" Christina laughs.

"I actually pulled a cupboard door right off it's hinges... well it resisted me and I had to put some force into it and I ripped the damned thing right off!

"And I think that does happen when you train... your mind hasn't adapted to how strong you've just recently become. You literally are stronger than your brain has recalculated on."

And with that kind of psychological insight, expect to hear more of Christina Chamley succeeding very nicely in the moving of seemingly immovable objects.