The club was originally formed as an extra-curricular activity for school by Bob Wrench, who himself went on to win a Bronze medal at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand.  

As Club Coach from 1968 until 1997, Bob coached hundreds of Welsh schoolboy champions, some of whom even went on to represent Wales at the Commonwealth Games, as well.  

One of those is Raymond Williams, who achieved Commonwealth Gold in 1986 in Edinburgh.  

Speaking to Weightlifting Wales, Raymond, who was Lead Coach at the club for two decades as well as Wales Head Coach until last year, explained how he oversaw the rebuild of the club in 2011. 

Reminiscing over past successes, Raymond recollected the club’s very own who’d competed at the Commonwealth Games. 

“The Club has had major success on the platform,” he commented.  

“Harry Mysagni, Steph Owens, Hannah Powell, Andy Goswell, Arfon Roberts, Karl Jones, Gareth Evans, Bob Wrench, and myself; nine lifters from a town of ten thousand is a great achievement! 

“Gareth was an Olympian and one of only three athletes in the history of GB Lifting to make a double bodyweight snatch in two categories! He also won Gold at Gold Coast in 2018! He’s our greatest lifter to date and a great ambassador for the Sport. 

“Hannah Powell is also a Commonwealth Championships multi-medallist,” he continued, “as well as a World Student Games Bronze Medal winner and double Commonwealth Games athlete, representing Wales in 2018 and 2022!” 

Future success is on the horizon, with Ray currently training several Masters lifter with an aim to win at least three World Titles next year in Finland. 

But it isn’t just the elite success that HAWFC can take pride in.  

“HAWFC provides fitness for all,” stated Raymond. “We have over 25,000 visits annually. Our over-60s group has 100 visits a week; that programme is an example of excellence which we’re looking to roll out to the wider community on Anglesey next year! 

“Our aim going forward is to keep providing fitness that is affordable to all, and accessible to all,” confirmed Ray. 

“Further to the Centre,” he concluded, “I will keep driving to hopefully get Welsh Government to understand the importance of making PE a core subject in schools. Providing at Least 120 minutes a week of timetabled structed PE is vital to ensuring our young people have a positive and life-lasting engagement in fitness!” 

It’s brilliant to see our weightlifting clubs, like HAWFC, have such brilliant success at elite level but also maintain their roots and visibly provide a significant impact to the local community.