Our clubs are the heartbeat of weightlifting throughout Wales.

Courtesy of the opportunity provided by weightlifting clubs, young lifters can engage with the sport and develop their physical and mental wellbeing.

Their value cannot be underestimated, and it’s brilliant to celebrate their impact and importance as they bring lifters to competitions.

CXF is one Weightlifting Wales Licensed Club that has seen its positive, supportive attitude towards the community reflected in its positive performances at competitions.

Running for the past five years (under the name CXF for the past 16 months), the club hosts a variety of lifters – ranging from junior teams consisting of 10- to 18-year-olds to the masters aged over 50!

“As a club,” Head Coach Holly Knowles told Weightlifting Wales, “we aim to be as inclusive as possible to ensure everyone can be involved in weightlifting in some capacity, whether that’s to compete or just improve their health and wellbeing.”

The CXF philosophy reflects this inclusivity and encouraging positive environments, with the club putting “a huge emphasis on learning techniques and physical literacy, letting the numbers creep up naturally to start with,” according to Holly, who joined the Welsh team as a coach for the Celtic Nations last year.

“This reflects in our competition scores at all of our recent appearances!”

The inclusive and supportive approach has led to CXF being able to introduce lifters to competitive weightlifting with much success.

“Generally speaking, the junior team compete most frequently,” Holly explained.

“For example, Honey Seaton was selected for the Welsh Celtics squad last year and qualified for the Welsh Seniors this year. Her success at the Celtics was impressive considering she’d only ever competed once prior to selection; it’s going to be exciting to see how she’s further progressed in the Welsh Seniors!

“All of our juniors also entered the Welsh and British Age Groups last year,” she continued, “and all came home with medals!

“We also have Karina Jones, who is a visually impaired Masters athlete. Rather than ever intending to compete when she began lifting roughly 4 years ago, she took up the sport as a challenge. However, she's now training for the North West Open in October!”

It’s fantastic to see lifters thrive and grow in confidence at our community clubs, before developing into the athletes we can celebrate at competitions across Wales.

Weightlifting clubs provide people with the opportunity to keep physically and mentally healthy, as well as representing an open door to an inclusive sport in which individuals can grow and compete – the reason for which it’s vital to recognise their brilliant work!