A WEIGHTLIFTER who helped to establish the sport in Barnsley has just returned from Barcelona with a gold medal at the age of 80.
Alan Lomax, who founded the Wombwell Sporting Weightlifting Club and Barnsley YMCA Weightlifting Club and was a trainer for more than 20 years, won gold at the World Masters Weightlifting Championships last weekend.
Alan, who grew up in Darfield and now lives in Wakefield, beat 19 competitors in the over-80s category to claim the medal.
He has also won the British Masters Championship a record 23 times.
Alan said: “It keeps me fit, and it’s a good chance to socialise. I was going to retire this year, but I’ve got to carry on now and I’m going to go for my 24th.
“I still train three times a week. I’ve got to train and keep doing it otherwise I wouldn’t be able to keep competing.
“I only lift half as much as I used to, but I don’t think I have done too bad.”
Alan said he has lost count of how many medals he has won since he started competing in the early 60s, but it ‘must be around 300’.
His latest achievement follows a silver medal win at the European Masters in Budapest in June.
