Herne Bay powerlifter Mick Ellender, 77, has no plans to retire after writing more golden chapters in his remarkable success story

It’s been quite the journey for 77-year-old powerlifter Mick Ellender - and it’s not over yet!

After all, if a heart attack and being diagnosed with cancer weren’t enough to stop him, why would he allow age to slow him down now?

Few compete globally in the sport at Ellender’s age - let alone those who have had the sort of health issues he’s faced - but the Herne Bay man’s love affair with powerlifting shows no sign of diminishing.

On how he’s come back from such challenges, he said: “I’m a stubborn old git!”

Not many previous years have been quite as productive as 2022 proved, though. Ellender won gold, silver and bronze medals in World, European and British national competitions as, overall, he claimed 17 golds, five silvers, and a bronze medal.

This year, he hopes to compete in competitions in Mongolia, South Africa and France.

“It’s been a brilliant ride,” he said. “I’m 77-years-old. In 1999, I had a heart attack and, in 2017, I got prostate cancer and came back from that.

“I had a [knee] operation and I didn’t think I would be able to squat again. But at the beginning of last year, I competed at the British Benchpress Championships. It stood me in good stead for the year.”

Ellender, who works as a volunteer at Golding Surplus in Canterbury, first took up powerlifting in 1976, aged 31.

He explained: “I was an ex-cyclist. I spent 10 years being absolutely rubbish, but I enjoyed it. It’s bulked me up because I was a scrawny little rat.”

Ellender last year competed at events in the UK, Sweden, Hungary, Canada and New Zealand, and won Commonwealth Championship gold medals. He is part of the International Powerlifting Federation.

“I have been all over the place,” he said. “Last year was as mad as it’s ever been. It all