Congratulations to Year 1 student, Seb, who recently competed in the British Powerlifting Championships and placed 6th in his weight class.
Seb, who is currently studying Uniformed Services, started powerlifting in August 2023. He quickly became engrossed in the sport, and managed to find a good level coach within just a few days of starting. This enabled him to improve his forms and establish a training programme.
Seb officially qualified for the Championships on 19th November 2023, and he spent the next few months on a rigorous training programme to prepare for the competition which was held at GymShark Lifting Club in March.
“It was a pretty awesome experience”, said Seb, “I met lots of amazing people and I even got to meet my two idols. Being able to have a chat with them completely made my day. Compared to my first competition, this one was more serious and nerve-wracking as there were lots of people and lots of shouting. It was an amazing experience! I was also able to set a record in South West England for the squat at the Championships, which makes me the strongest squatter in South West England for my weight class.”
The experience did not come without its challenges, as Seb suffered a quad injury in the week leading up to the Championships which impacted one of his last big training sessions. Luckily with the help of his coach, Seb managed to recover in time to get some crucial training in before the competition.
Reflecting on how his Uniformed Services course has contributed to his success, Seb said “The most important skill powerlifting and Uniformed Services have in common is discipline. I had to be very disciplined with sticking to my training programme and maintaining a good diet in the lead up to the Championships. Uniformed Services has also aided me in respecting protocols and regulations, and maintaining good physical and mental readiness.”
After College, Seb hopes to pursue a career in the services, and potentially go to university. He also hopes to grow his social media presence, where he documents his powerlifting progress, and is considering becoming a coach. He looks forward to the next British Championships, where the dream is to come in first place.
Congratulations on your fantastic achievement, Seb!
For more information on this story, please contact chloe.suter@cirencester.ac.uk
