Mum becomes 'accidental' world powerlifting champ

Ms Jones won the Masters 2 under 56kgs class AWPC World Championships

A Plymouth woman has become a powerlifting world champion after taking up the discipline less than two years ago as part of a change of career.

Kate Jones, 49, beat everyone in her age group and weight class while competing in the Amateur World Powerlifting Congress (AWPC) in Idaho, USA, during a family holiday at the end of August.

Ms Jones, a personal trainer, won the Masters 2 under 56kgs class AWPC World Championships after squatting 92.5kgs, benching 50kgs and deadlifting 125kgs.

The former Royal Navy logistician said she had always been into fitness but became a world champion "a little bit by accident" after entering the US competition for the experience during a family holiday.

'Went for it'

Ms Jones said she served in the Royal Navy for 22 years before "having a bit of a career change" and becoming a personal trainer.

She said: "I started getting a bit more serious about weightlifting a couple of years ago.

"I suppose I just started lifting heavier and heavier and looking at comps and then I just went for it.

"It was my first comp and there you go - I just kind of went along thinking this will be a good experience and took the kids along with me for a bit of a holiday afterwards."

Ms Jones, who trains four times a week, said the discipline was "a lot in the mind".

She added: "If you do it the right way and safely, be prepared that you've got to have a little patience for it.

"I know a lot of mums want to lose weight but when you feel strong that kind of takes over everything else. It's a really good feeling.

"I would say just go for it.

"A lot of mums think of everybody else and they need something for themselves and if they want to do that, powerlifting is very good - good for the mind and mental health."