9 July 2025
The best weightlifters and para powerlifters from across the UK descended on Birmingham's NEC arena across the Friday 11th - Sunday 13th July for the 2025 British Championships. With the next Commonwealth Games nearly a year away and qualification for the Team Wales squad being fiercely contested, it seems fitting the location for such a prestigious event is held on the same site as the previous Commonwealth Games in 2022. This was also the first British Championships under the IWF bodyweight categories, so a test for all in the build up to the event.
From setting the scene and with all the rigorous preparation undergone by all athletes, it was now time to call the action. A total of 25 Welsh athletes qualified and entered for this year's British Championships, comprising of 23 athletes competing in the Seniors and 2 in the Masters. However, unfortunately Edward Gibson who was due to compete in the men's 79kg category (B group) on the Saturday, and Harry Nelms in the Men's 98kg category on the Sunday, both had to withfrae the event and we wish them both well in the future events they compete in.
On day 1 of the Championships (Friday 11th July), we had 5 athletes competing. First up mid afternoon we saw the incredible Llewellyn Waits step up to the platform in the Men's 60kg bodyweight category. For Llewellyn's first ever British Championships, he performed outstandingly with a 203 kg total from an 88 kg snatch and a 115 kg clean and jerk to earn himself a remarkable debut silver medal. A super result for Llewellyn who seemed extremely happy on interview afterwards. Former Team Wales Commonwealth Games athlete, Seth Casidsid competed in the same group as Llewellyn which was great to see. Elsewhere on day 1, there was even more medal success for Welsh athletes with Madaline Connelly and Nikole Roberts securing gold and silver medals respectively. Madaline's successful snatch of 77kg was key in her earning herself top spot, in which she should be very proud in. Nikole's 157kg total in the Women's 48kg category was just a couple of kg away from reaching a gold medal but a tremendous 72kg snatch and 85kg clean and jerk still seen Nikole be presented with a silver. Tegan Crowle went 5/6 from her lifts in the Women's 58kg category (B Group) to reach a respectable 160 kg total and 8th final position ranking. And finally, unfortunately Ryan Blakemore in the Masters was unable to complete a successful snatch attempt on the day, but we know Ryan is going to come back stronger on events such as the upcoming Welsh Masters Open.
Attention turned to the Saturday where 14 Welsh athletes took to the platform, in which we witnessed more Welsh representation on the podium and personal PB's broken. A brilliant 184kg total by Catrin Haf Jones (Bangor University Weightlifting Club) in the Women's 58kg category was good enough for a silver medal which is big congratulations to her. In the same category, Catrin Jones performed proudly against the strong competition in this category to prove why she deserves to be lifting on such a stage, with a final 6th position ranking from a 172kg total. Within this same group, but in the women's 63kg category we had Charlotte Whalley taking home a bronze medal following a 180kg total (80/100), with Bethan Watkins unfortunately recording a DNF after being ranked 3rd on the snatches following a 80kg lift. Meanwhile, in the women's 69kg category there was strong Welsh representation with 4 athletes vying for positions in this category. Chloe Hood, Megan Dixon, and Molly Greenwood ended up taking 7th, 8th, and 9th rankings respectively with some outstanding lifts between them, whilst there was an unfortunate DNF by Jo McEwan. Elsewhere, three Welsh athletes competed in the women's 77kg category; Laura Hughes with a bronze medal and 209kg total, Nicola Stiddard 201kg total (6th place), and Sabrina Butler 187kg total (7th place). On the men's side, Michael Farmer delivered some impressive lifts again on the big stage, with a 129/150 (279kg total) to earn himself a silver medal for the 71kg category, while Alex Moseley claimed 4th position after a 296kg total. The final medal of a Welsh athlete on day 2 of the British Championships fell to Rhodri West who came out with a bronze medal (282kg total) in what was a hugely tightly packed men's 98kg category, with just 6kg between the top 6 positions.
The third and final day of the British Championships brought the last four remaining Weightlifting Wales members to the platform to give it their all. Niamh Collins did brilliantly to keep her composure to lift a 97kg clean and jerk to secure herself a 172kg total. James Wales battled well within a strong performing Men's 110kg category to reach a 319kg total and 4th spot. 4th spot was also the ranking earned by Louis Weston in the 110+kg category. But the final medal of the Championships from a Weightlifting Wales member occurred in the Masters, with Weronica Ling achieving a bronze medal after a total lifts of 229kg, to the delight of her coach, Tom Jolly.
Everyone who qualified for this year's British Championships has done amazingly well to get to this point, and having such experiences we know is only going to help improve each of our Welsh athletes in the competitions to come. A congratulations to all, and hopefully we can have even more Welsh athletes qualify for the next British Championships.
We would also like to say a big well done to British Weightlifting for delivering such a fabulous event.
You can find the full list of results on the British Weightlifting website (or through the links below):
