'Gym Saved My Life, Now I'm A Powerlifting Champion'

 

When powerlifter Charlie Hartwell started training at the gym five years ago, he was struggling with his mental health and looking for a positive outlet.

Aged 13 at the time, he says his life was "in a bit of disarray" and he soon realised working out made him "feel good".

It became his passion and the 18-year-old, who now juggles training every night with college and a job, claims "gym pretty much saved my life".

Mr Hartwell, from Harborough in Leicestershire, won his class at the British Drug Free Powerlifting Association (BDFPA) Championships earlier in March, qualifying for the World Championships in Italy as a result.

He claimed victory at the BDFPA Championships after lifting 122.5kg in bench press and 190kg in deadlift in the over-18 classification.

"It took me a few weeks to realise that I am the champion," he said.

The engineering student has now set his sights on the "massive" World Championships in Rome in June.

"It's a very exciting time for me and everyone else in the gym and my family as well," he said.

'Really proud'

Reflecting on his journey to this point, Mr Hartwell says it has taken "a lot of dedication, time and effort".

"Gym has helped me so much with mental health, academically as well, even with my work and just my social life," he said. "I couldn't dream of any better place I could be right now."

Ian Bartlett, who has been training with Mr Hartwell at Bruno's Gym in Market Harborough, said it was "amazing" to see what he had achieved in "such a short space of time".

"When he first started I was lifting a lot more weight than him and he was always teasing me saying that he was going to beat me," he said.

"Now, three years later, he has achieved that."

He added: "I'm just really proud of him."

- Authors: Ellis Maddison & Matt Smith, BBC