By Tom Reynolds

SIDCUP weightlifter Jack Oliver insists he’s more than happy to play second fiddle to British golden girl Zoe Smith as he plots his own path to London 2012 Olympic glory.

Oliver and 16-year-old Smith have grown up together in the world of weightlifting and are both part of the Europa Weightlifting Club in Erith.

However, Smith’s reputation has gone global in recent years and while Oliver is a relative unknown, she is all set to be one of the poster girls of the home Olympics.

Oliver got his first taste of senior action at last month’s Commonwealth Games ending eighth overall while Smith became the first English woman to win a medal in the sport with bronze.

But rather than be jealous of his illustrious gym buddy Oliver, who used to attend Eltham College, is planning to duck under the radar and make his own headlines in the capital in two years’ time.

“I have known Zoe ever since she started weightlifting about four-and-a-half years ago and she is just one of us in the gym and we all have a laugh and joke with her and tease her a little bit about all her fame,” said Oliver, speaking as part of his commitment to the Visa Team 2012 project.

“But I am quite happy to just keep concentrating on what I am doing and trying to make sure that I am improving and getting myself to the Games and try and do well there.

“Zoe and I are good friends and she is very good at the media stuff and I am just happy to keep working hard and keep improving. I have made some big improvements this year and now I just need to make sure that continues.”

Oliver admits he felt hard done by over his Delhi display with his Games being hampered by a back injury which looks set to keep him out until the New Year.

If the 19-year-old had matched his previous best lifts in the Indian capital he would have followed his friend Smith onto the podium with 77kg bronze.

And with that in mind Oliver, who is studying classics at Leeds University, admits he can’t wait for another shot at international glory at next year’s European Championships in Kazan in Russia.

“It was really disappointing for me not to be fully fit in Delhi especially as I could have got bronze if I had been able to lift like I normally do,” added Oliver.

“But just knowing that I could have been up there gives me a lot of confidence and now I am looking forward to the European Championships.

“They will be tough because they are basically like a World Championships without the Chinese athletes but hopefully I can go there and do well.”