LOCAL man Matthew Doughty has become European Champion in three titles after competing at the European Powerlifting Championships in Aldershot.
Matthew was awarded three gold statues of the Viking God, Odin, for winning the full power, the single bench press and the single deadlift.
He said, “My training at Dynamik Bodyz gym was going to plan up until two weeks before the event, when I pulled my lower back and I was only able to train just twice over the two-week period leading up to it. I entered the full powerlifting, single bench press and deadlift with the hope of winning at least one of them.
“During the competition I just stuck to my plan of lifts After the squat, I was in first place and then after the bench press I was in a joint top spot, but still not even thinking of the possibilities of winning because the deadlift was still to come and is my weaker lift especially with a injured lower back!
“But it was all down to the last lift and I found the strength to lift the weight and to be honest I could have pulled 20-40kg more. Then the guy who was joint first with me had his last lift and failed.
“Then the realisation of becoming the European champion hit me, I was so happy that all the hard work paid off.”
Matthew is competing in the World Championships in November which is due to be held in Mexico but the location could be changed.
