Swindon powerlifters achieve national success at championships
Swindon Barbell head coach Charlie Marillier competed at the British Masters Classic Powerlifting championships last month in the -84kg ladies M1 (40 to 49-year-olds) category, facing fierce competition from long-term rival and good friend Hira Tierney.
Advertisement
Following a surprising call from the judges to overturn her second and third squats to a fail, Charlie went into the bench press section knocked by the decision but then broke the British M1 bench record of 100kg.
In the deadlifts, Charlie managed 190kg while Hira went on to deadlift 218kg, securing herself a new deadlift and total record, while Charlie went home happily with a silver medal.
Recommended reading
A week later, Swindon Barbell travelled to Chelmsford in Essex to support Steph Roderick at the English Classic Powerlifting championships.
Steph, competing as a Junior (18 to 23-year-olds) is only 21 years old and felt quietly confident and determined to hit her personal targets, including the Swindon Barbell ladies' all-time squat record of 170kg.
Advertisement
After achieving a personal best of 160kg, Steph passed the club's record with ease and then managed 175kg.
A tricky bench press section saw a mix of success and failure before Steph completed the final section on deadlifts.
She only needed her opener to win the gold, but she also wanted to hit her kilogram target of 175kg – and did so with a smooth and certain pull.
After jumping off the platform with joy and giving coach Charlie a big hug, she was awarded a gold medal and the English title.
She said: ''I cannot believe how much I've improved in the past six months, it's all been down to the amazing training from Charlie I've loved every second of this journey.'
Advertisement
Charlie said: 'Steph has been completely dedicated to her own development, listening and taking on board everything that has been said to her, she has turned up even when she hasn't wanted to, she has followed her training and listened to guidance on nutrition and recovery.
'Steph is a beacon of maturity and consistency in her training and the end result is Gold medal and achieving everything she set out to. Everyone has the potential, but Steph is able to actualise that potential. We are so proud of her.'
The club will focus on joining forces with another Wiltshire-based powerlifting gym, Crazy Strength in Amesbury, for an inter-team competition at the gym on October 4.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Usyk knocks out Dubois to become undisputed world heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk cemented his status as the outstanding heavyweight of his generation with an emphatic fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois in their undisputed world title bout at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Victory saw Ukraine's Usyk extend his unbeaten professional record to 24 fights as the WBA, WBC and WBO champion added his British opponent's IBF belt to his collection. Usyk dominated the opening four rounds and early in the fifth he dropped Dubois to the canvas. Moments later he finished the fight in decisive fashion after a trademark left hook left his British rival unable to beat the count one minute and 52 seconds into the round. It was the second time Usyk, at 38 some 11 years older than his opponent, had defeated Dubois following a ninth-round stoppage success in Krakow, Poland, in 2023, where the Briton was ruled to have landed an illegal low blow in the fifth round. Lennox Lewis, the last British boxer to be undisputed world champion in 1999, forecast before Saturday's fight that Usyk would face a vastly-improved Dubois, saying: "Dubois was a baby in the sport and now he's a not going to see the same Daniel Dubois from 18 months ago." But after Usyk was roared into the ring by a huge contingent of supporters, many of them waving Ukraine national flags in a 90,000 capacity crowd at Wembley, best known as the London base of England's national football team, it was largely one-way traffic as their hero conducted a ruthless masterclass against local favourite Dubois. "38 is a young guy, remember!," Usyk told DAZN in the ring after dropping to his knees in celebration. "38 is only start! "I want to say thank you to Jesus Christ. I want to say thank you to my team and Wembley, thank you so much! It's for the people. "Nothing is next. It's enough, next, I don't know. I want to rest. My family, my wife, my children, I want to rest now. Two or three months, I want to just rest." - 'Modern-day legend' - Asked about his next opponent Usyk, who has already twice beaten former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, added: "Maybe it's Tyson Fury. Maybe we have three choices, Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua. Maybe Joseph Parker. Listen, I cannot now say because I want to go back home." Dubois insisted he would return to the ring, saying: "I have to commend him (Usyk) on the performance, I gave everything I had. Take no credit away from that man, I'll be back." Meanwhile promoter Frank Warren, a veteran of the British boxing scene, said: "Usyk is a modern-day legend. In any generation he would be a great fighter. No complaints, the better man won on the night. "It's Joe Parker's time." Usyk meanwhile basked in the adulation following the latest dazzling victory of a career that has seen him emerge as a national hero in his war-torn homeland. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was among the first to congratulate Usky on his victory. "An undisputed champion. A legend. One of our own," Zelensky wrote on X. "Thank you for the strength and inspiration you give to the whole country with every victory. Thank you for stepping into each fight with Ukraine in your heart." jdg/rcw
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Scottie Scheffler Continues to Lead the Open Championship
Scheffler in the lead shooting a four under Saturday. #ScottieScheffler #OpenChampionship Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Usyk demolishes Dubois with fifth-round knockout
Oleksandr Usyk has floored Briton Daniel Dubois in the fifth round of a thrilling contest at Wembley Stadium to once again become the undisputed heavyweight boxing world champion. The win saw Usyk reclaim the IBF belt he vacated last year, before a December rematch with Tyson Fury, with Dubois upgraded to champion and then defending the title against compatriot Anthony Joshua last September. Asked about beating his younger opponent after Saturday's match, Usyk said: "38 is a young guy, remember. 38 is only (the) start". "I want to say thank you to Jesus Christ. I want to say thank you to my team and Wembley, thank you so much. It's for the people. "Nothing is next. It's enough, next, I don't know. I want to rest. My family, my wife, my children, I want to rest now. Two or three months, I want to just rest." Usyk's technical ability was on full display from the outset as he sidestepped everything thrown his way with deceptive ease and connected repeatedly with his jab, putting on a masterclass in counter-punching. Despite weighing in at a career-heaviest 227.3 pounds on Friday, Usyk floated around the ring with an almost balletic grace and prevented Dubois from making the most of his superior size. The Ukrainian comfortably outclassed his opponent in three of the first four rounds, but most of the damage was dealt out in a brutal fifth-round beatdown. The Ukrainian sent his opponent to the canvas with an overhand right, before a booming left hand right on the chin dashed Dubois' dreams and brought an end to the bout. The unification fight was a rematch of one that Dubois lost by a controversial ninth-round knockout in Wroclaw, Poland, in 2023, after Usyk was given time to recover from what the referee ruled was a low blow.
