Lee keeps her cool to lift gold (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Lee keeps her cool to lift gold

SALISBURY powerlifters Lee Steggles and Paul Newell were on record-breaking form at the weekend's British Champion-ships in Port Talbot.

Reigning world champion Steggles retained her gold medal in spectacular style, adding a new British record squat to her string of achievements, as well as notching up an impressive 503kg total lift.

Steggles was facing her first championship in 20 years without friend, mentor and fellow world champion Bill West at her side.

She said: "I went in a bit negative, worried about missing Bill. Warming up I was so erratic - my nerves were starting to get the better of me."

Fittingly, it was an old Salisbury colleague, former British champion Neil Arnold, who stepped into the breach.

"I said to someone, go and get Neil. He did a fantastic job jumping in at the last minute, calming me down and getting me out on the platform."

After that, there was no stopping Steggles.

As well as smashing the squat record, she came close to setting a new standard in the bench press.

She said: "The weight flew off my chest, but my left shoulder wasn't quite strong enough to lock out.

"But it's definitely in there for another day.

"I feel I'm good for a few more records this year."

Paul Newell was far from disappointed with his third place finish in the men's 90kg competition.

He registered a hat-trick of personal best lifts to give him a total of 825kg, which, in the past three years, would have been good enough to win the contest.

"Training had gone really well," said Newell. "It was just a case of putting it all together on the day.

"I've learned that it's all about the preparation. In the past I've had problems with over-dieting but I weighed in bang on 90kg which certainly helps."

Newell was involved in a battle royale with Chris Jenkins in the squat.

The pair smashed the British record four times between them before New-ell triumphed with a staggering 360kg to become the only the sixth British lifter in history to achieve the distinction of lifting four times his bodyweight.

"That underlines how good the competition was," added Newell, who set a personal best bench press of 180kg - 15kg more than his previous best - and 285kg deadlift, 10kg up on his best.

Newell hopes he has done enough to secure an invite to this year's World Champ-ionships in Germany. "Fin-gers crossed I'll be okay," he said. "It felt really comfortable on the day and I know there's more to come."

Newell also added his thanks to Neil Arnold.

"Neil was brilliant. He coached me and judged all the lifts perfectly."

The two will be taking part in a strongman contest at Salisbury City's Fun Day event on July 2.

"That's just a bit of fun," explained Newell. "I'll be having a break then getting straight back into it."

There was yet more excitement for the Salisbury contingent, when two promising lifters from Eastleigh, who are coached by Steggles and West, each picked up gold at the first time of asking.