Home competitors among winners in England Age Group Weightlifting Championships at Maidstone Leisure Centre

More than 200 weightlifters descended on Maidstone Leisure Centre over the weekend for the England Age Groups Championships.

Hosts Maidstone Weightlifting Club were well-represented at the three-day event, with 18 of their youngsters taking part.

They were among the winners, too, taking three junior and youth titles.

In the men’s junior 61kg body weight class, Tayla Hounsell retained his title with a personal best 184kg total.

Ophelia Harrison won the girls’ under-15 55kg weight class with a 115kg total, also a personal best, and Ed Skinner won the youth 67kg class with a 181kg total.

There were podium finishes for Adam Mey, Eron Murray, Stewart Moore and Alex Brooks.

In the development competition, there were wins for Dylan Botten, Olly Brooks, Phillip Kember and Ellis Underdown, and podium finishes for Monty Moore, Willow Simmonds and Savannah Henry-Cook.

Maidstone coach Matt Vine said: “The championships were a great success with positive feedback about the venue and how well the championships were attended.

“The support from Maidstone Borough Council in staging the event was greatly appreciated.”

It was the first time the championships have been held in the county town, attracting lifters from all over the country.

They’re normally held up north, so it was a feather in the cap for Maidstone to be picked as the hosts.

They secured free use of the leisure centre’s Mote Hall courtesy of borough councillor Dave Naghi.