Former Olympic hockey player and presenter Sam Quek takes on Strictly Come Dancing
ITV Granada Reports reporter Rachel Pritchard caught up with Sam as she prepares for Saturday
Strictly Come Dancing star and Olympian Sam Quek says performing on the show is a "joy", but every week feels like she is "starting from scratch".
The former hockey player was the final celebrity revealed to be joining this year’s celebrity line-up alongside her dance partner Nikita Kuzmin.
Sam has won 125 caps for the England and GB women’s hockey teams and a gold medal in the Rio Olympics, and now she has her eyes set on the Strictly mirrorball trophy.
"Every week, for me, is like starting from scratch", she said. "All I'm doing is trying to give 100% and clinging on to every word Nikita says."
The athlete and mum-of-two, who has now performed three times in front of a live audience, says dancing and hockey are physically very different.
"My body is so achey - it's because of the hours we're putting in and the repetition. But i'm just enjoying it", she said.
"I wake up every morning wondering if I'm going to be stiff. Nikita is probably sick of me.
"But I look forward to training every morning and it's down to Nikita. It's a joy. It's hard work but it's so enjoyable!"
Sam, 35, who shares two children with her husband Thomas, said: "My daughter Molly is loving it. She loves everything to do with music, dressing up - just the spectacle.
"She is blown away by it all. Zach, my littlest, watches it but as soon as mummy isn't on the tele, he's off!"
After receiving 30 points from the judges last Saturday, Sam and Nikita say their next performance will be the samba to Shakira's Hips Don't Lie.
Quek does not shy away from a challenge. Three months after retiring from hockey in 2016, she appeared on the 16th series of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me out of Here!
The athlete turned broadcaster has also appeared on ITV sports panel game show Play to the Whistle, The Chase, Pointless Celebrities and Question of Sport in 2021.
Strictly Come Dancing 2024 continues on Saturday 12 October on BBC One and iPlayer.
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