Deborah Alawode is a 29-year-old medical Doctor working in the NHS who holds a PhD in Alzheimer's disease. However, she also competes internationally for Great Britain and England in the sport 'Olympic Weightlifting'. Her most prestigious accolade to date is placing 4th at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, but she is also a multiple time British Senior Champion and Record Holder. With this being her first appearance at Festival of the Girl, Deborah is passionate about showing young girls that it is possible to achieve both academic and sporting success simultaneously.