Army weightlifters lift their way to third consecutive Inter Services title
The Army have lifted their way to their third consecutive title at the Inter Services Weightlifting Championships, beating the RAF and the Navy.
With a large number of participants across the three services taking part, the Army won with a total Sinclair score of 2933.864 after facing stiff competition from the RAF who totalled 2334.994. The Navy, who finished third, totalled 1862.339.
The Sinclair score is calculated by multiplying the lifter's snatch and clean and jerk total by a coefficent that is based on the lifter's body weight.
The scores are then added together for the team score, using the team's total bodyweight and the weights lifted.
The Army's Sergeant Sian Peters won the women's heavyweight category at last year's Inter Services championships. After not clearing 92kg in her second clean and jerk attempt, she came back in her third attempt and successfully cleared 92kg to win the title again with a strong Sinclair total of 218.236.
She said: "It has been really good actually, a really good day, but a tough day!
"The second attempt felt like the world was closing in but you just regroup, have a little sugar and then come back out."
The Army did face strong competition from the RAF, with Corporal Luke Mees lifting his way to victory in the men's lightweight category.
Cpl Mees, who placed second at last year's Inter Services, said that all the hard work to be ready to win this year was "really worth it".
He said: "I feel proud, I feel like the training has been worth it and I feel good.
"Nobody has ever taken second place as they wanted first place, a lot of hours and a lot of hours in the gym, a lot of hours outside the gym to get myself ready for it but like I said, it was really worth it now."
In the heavyweight categories, the RAF's Rebecca Nesbit won the women's heavyweight category with a total Sinclair score of 200.662 and the Army's Callum Condon won the men's heavyweight category with a total Sinclair score of 313.878.
After being recognised as an official sport in the forces in 2021, weightlifting is growing in popularity across the services and there is hope that more will consider taking to the weights in the years to come.
Sgt Sian Peters said: "We are using British Weightlifting to get involved and do some talent spotting, especially the junior academies and just get as many people as possible involved, catch them at a younger age and then work with them.
"Emily (Campbell) has worked with us a little bit in workshops as well so it is really good, we have got some really good support from British Weightlifting too."
The championships, which took place at HMS Temeraire in Portsmouth, is only the third time weightlifting has ever been held at Inter Services level, and only the second time it's been held since weightlifting was recognised as an official forces sport last year.
Many congratulations to @BritishArmyWL on their Interservice win today ?
— British Army Sport (@ArmySportASCB) November 30, 2022
Some fantastic lifting across all weight categories ?#ArmyWeightlifting#BritishArmySportpic.twitter.com/s516GeSX2r
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