Powering their way to victory

TWO Tameside women powerlifters smashed world records as they claimed British titles.

Chelsea Byrom and Donna Bradbury both triumphed in the Amateur British Powerlifting Union (ABPU) Raw British Championships which were held in Manchester.

The women are both members of Stalybridge-based Wolfpack Powerlifting Club where they are coached by Darren Stafford.

For Chelsea, 23, a maths teacher at Mossley Hollins High School, it was a great achievement as she only took up powerlifting one year ago after seeing an advertisement on Instagram shortly after lockdown ended.

She competed in the 60kg junior raw women’s event at the Pendulum Hotel, Manchester, where she won the British title with a world record lift of 130kg, twice her bodyweight.

There was also another world record for Stalybridge-based Chelsea in the squat.

Chelsea, a former pupil at Silver Springs and Copley Academy, has now qualified for the world championships which are to be held in Manchester in September.

Also lining up in the worlds will be Hyde-based Donna whose successes came in the 60kg raw M2 class for those aged between 45 and 50 years.

Donna, 48, a nursery nurse, won the British title as well as smashing four world records with a dead lift of 152.5kg, squat 120kg, bench 75kg and total weight of 347.5kg.

She took up powerlifting in 2016 after being told to give up netball after continually fracturing her knee.

Donna, who played for Hyde Netball Club, also represented Greater Manchester and the North West.

“I went to Darren’s gym to do fit-ball classes, and the rest is history,” she said.

Donna added there are a lot more women competing in powerlifting than when she began six years ago.

“It is great that it is acceptable for women to be strong, especially young girls,” she explained.

“There are girls aged 14/15 powerlifting and some of them are so strong.”