Gran breaks world record for lifting double her body weight

31.03.2015 20:30

Nan-of-three Lindsey Rowland has broken the weightlifting world record for lifting almost double her own body weight.

The sports-mad 57-year-old, from Kingswinford in the West Midlands, says her success shows age should be no barrier when it comes to keeping active.

"When you look at others lifting big weights who are older than myself, it shows that you do not have to get weaker with age," she said.

"Just because someone gets older it does not mean they can't do lots and lots of different things."

Lindsey decided to give weightlifting a go after her local swimming pool closed down.

She made a seamless transition into the new sport and lifted a staggering 121kg in the dead lift category at the recent British championships, a world record at masters level.

The mother-of-four says her success has taken her completely by surprise as she does not look like "a stereotypical weightlifter".

"I never thought of myself as someone who would be able to lift heavy weights. It has really been so unexpected," she said.

"I'm reasonably tall but I'm not a big person. I certainly don't look like the stereotypical weightlifter."

Having initially played basketball at national level, Lindsey switched to swimming aged 40 when her knees started to develop problems.

Having won European gold and world silver at masters level, she switched sports again after her local Coseley swimming pool closed and she linked up with her Dudley College colleague Martin Beaston.

Martin introduced Lindsey to dumbbells initially to keep fit, but he was soon pushing her to enter competitions.

"When I first started training, I was doing sessions at Dudley College where the gym is mostly used by students," she said.

"Lots of them used to look at me and think 'I bet you're not going to lift much' and I think they were quite surprised to see the weights I can pull.

"As I progressed, Martin suggested that I had a go at entering some competitions.

"Now I love it! And all because my local swimming pool closed."

Having won three gold medals at the championships, sports lecturer Lindsey is now targeting global success at the upcoming World Single Lift Championships in Telford in June.

(dailystar.co.uk)

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