Powerlifter defends British Championship title after battling back from injury

British powerlifting champion Dylan Davies has successfully defended his title after overcoming a career-threatening injury.

Fifty-year-old Dylan Davies, from Caerphilly, broke four Welsh records as he won the British Powerlifting Championships in Lincolnshire on January 23.

The sport consists of athletes lifting heavy weights. The winner is then determined by who can lift the heaviest weight.

During the tournament, Dylan lifted a total of 660kg – the equivalent of six and a half giant pandas – across the tournament, having torn a rotator cuff in his shoulder just two years ago.

Dylan managed to squat 230kg, deadlift 270kg and bench press 160kg.

“It was difficult to get back from the injury,” Dylan told Caerphilly Observer. “Covid helped because it meant I could focus on recovery, which took about a year.

“I did consider giving it up at one point, but slowly I started managing higher weight until I felt ready to compete again.”

Following his British Championships success, Dylan, who works as a caretaker at the Twyn community centre, has been invited to compete at the European Masters Championship in Eskilstuna, Sweden, this July.

Dylan said: “I expect to medal at the masters. This should be enough for me to be invited to the Commonwealth Championships in Canada, but the focus is on the masters right now.”

Dylan competes in the M2, or Masters 2, category, which is for competitors aged between 50 and 59-years-old. 

“It’s just something I love to do,” he said.

“The training is difficult of course, but my love for competing keeps bringing me back. I’m also one of the best in the world in my category so that helps too.”

The sport was hit during the coronavirus pandemic by events and competitions having to be postponed or cancelled. Dylan said: “Numbers were low when I first returned back. There were just eight at the first competition and only two at the second.

“We still get to travel around the world though, which is great and another reason to keep me going.”

Dylan used to compete in the sport alongside his son, Geraint, who has since retired.

Discussing his own future in powerlifting, Dylan said: “I actually feel better than I have done in years. My bench press level is the only thing suffering due to the injury.

“But I have no plans to quit – I’ll keep going until I fall apart.”