Maindy Centre’s UK Champion Has His Sights Set On World Title

A member of staff at Maindy Leisure Centre has become a UK champion weightlifter! ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The centre’s Senior Fitness Instructor Phil Carleton became the UK’s open powerlifting champion in the 90 kilos category in Coventry last month and he now has his sights set on the World Title in October. The UK champ will be competing against countries from all over the world under the banner Active Cardiff. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Despite lifting a staggering 250 kilos in the Dead Lift section the former Wales rugby league international claims he only did 6 weeks specific training before becoming UK champion. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Phil Carleton said: “I entered the competition with a group of friends but they had to pull out for one reason or another leaving me to compete on my own in Coventry. I’ve always looked after myself in terms of fitness but I had never entered a competition like this before. But I was able to use the excellent weights room whilst working at Maindy Centre and it was a combination of this hard work and a refusal to quit that eventually got me the title.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet Member for Community Development, Co-operatives and Social Enterprise, Cllr Peter Bradbury said: “I would like to congratulate Phil on his incredible achievement. It’s not every day you can say that you have a UK champion on the payroll and fingers crossed in a few weeks’ time I’ll be saying World Champion! It’s fantastic that Phil is flying the flag of Active Cardiff in this way and I hope that his achievements encourage others to use the excellent facilities we have in our leisure centres.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The World Powerlifting Union’s World Championship takes place in Butts Arena in Coventry from October 10 to October 16. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​