New world champ targets Olympics
JONATHAN REDHEAD After conquering the powerlifting world, Norwich teenager Hadley Jones has switched his sights firmly to the 2012 London Olympics.The 18-year-old trainee painter and decorator has recently returned from Italy as a four-times gold medallist after blowing away the opposition in the World Drug Free Powerlifting Federation world championships.
JONATHAN REDHEAD
After conquering the powerlifting world, Norwich teenager Hadley Jones has switched his sights firmly to the 2012 London Olympics.
The 18-year-old trainee painter and decorator has recently returned from Italy as a four-times gold medallist after blowing away the opposition in the World Drug Free Powerlifting Federation world championships.
Jones, from Sprowston also landed four world records to boot and has now completed a clean sweep of British, European and World titles this year.
He won every title in his 67.5kg category in Italy, including the equipped sections where he was making his debut. He even won his final two championships against the advice of English team bosses who felt he was too tired, and managed to lift a massive 185kgs in the equipped dead lift.
Jones, who has only been lifting little more than a year, is believed to be England's first world champion in his category.
Most Read
- 1 Classic vehicle day coming to stunning gardens this weekend
- 2 Man in his 20s dies after crash in west Norfolk
- 3 7 pubs up for sale or rent in Norfolk
- 4 'I can't stop Western Link work starting in my woodland'
- 5 Mum killed in A47 collision was ‘walking to Norwich’, inquest hears
- 6 Jailed this week: County lines gang and man found with cocaine in his car
- 7 Seven beach walks with a cafe pit stop to try in Norfolk
- 8 One in four patients ignored health conditions after failing to see GP
- 9 Six beaches in Norfolk awarded Blue Flag status for 2022
- 10 Neighbours' tribute to crash victim who 'thought the world of her dogs'
But after sweeping his opponents aside, the Lowestoft College student is leaving powerlifting and switching his attentions instead to weightlifting, so he can compete at the London games in five years time.
Powerlifting is not an Olympic sport, while weightlifting is, and Jones has enlisted the help of British Masters Weightlifting Champion Bryan Preece to help him make the switch.
73-year-old Preece, the former head of adult education in Norfolk, has agreed to assist the teenager, who he believes could have the skill to thrive in weightlifting.
“He clearly seems to have talent,” Preece said.
“It seems to me his body levers and bone length could be suited even better to olympic weightlifting than powerlifting.
“For a lad of his age he is very, very strong.”
