Maindy Centre Instructor Is World Champion!

A senior fitness instructor at Maindy Centre has become powerlifting World Champion! ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Phil Carleton won the World Powerlifting Union’s (WPU) World Title in the men’s raw 90kg category at the World Championships in Coventry last week. Phil was representing the United Kingdom at the championships as the UK’s open powerlifting champion in his weight classification. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Phil lifted a staggering total of 630 kilos in all lifts to be crowned World Champion and he did all his training in a converted weights room at the Maindy Centre in-between his shifts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All the hard work paid off as Phil lifted 245 kilos in the deadlift, 250 at the squat and 135 in the bench press. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Phil said: “It’s still all a bit surreal at the moment but I enjoyed the whole spectacle of the World Championships and I’m obviously very pleased with my performance and with the efforts of those who’ve supported me along the way. I’m going to take some time off from powerlifting now to rest and heal but I’ll be looking at competing again next summer all being well.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet Member for Community Development, Co-operatives and Social Enterprise, Cllr Peter Bradbury said: “I am sure I speak for everyone at the Council when I say huge congratulations Phil we are so proud of you and what you’ve achieved! Phil’s achievement is doubly incredible when you consider that it was only recently that he decided to compete competitively at powerlifting! The fact that you can become a World Champion through training at one of our leisure centres is a great advert for the facilities on offer across the city and the dedication of our staff.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Phil only started training for competitive powerlifting 6 weeks before becoming the WPU UK champion in his category in August. He decided to have a go at powerlifting alongside a group of friends but for various reasons they all dropped out before the start of the UK competition. One of Phil’s friends had a particularly good reason for pulling out as the WPU event clashed with his wedding day! ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​