Record-holder powerlifter says 'age is no barrier'

Paul Collinson holds records at national, European and world levels in bench press powerlifting

A former Royal Marine from Exmouth is proving that age is no barrier to success after he set a new world record in a recent competition.

Paul Collinson, 61, bench pressed a new world record of 166kg in the under 90kg and M5 age bracket at the UK Single Lift Championships earlier this year.

In 2024, he secured the British, European and world records for his age and weight category at 160kg and increased it to 165kg at the World Championships.

Paul said he accepted that looks could be deceptive: "People who see me, and don't know me, think I'm an old man with beard in a gym. But I know I can bench press twice the weight they can, so I'm proud of what I can do."

World record holder Paul Collinson said he advocated exercise in older age to help both physical and mental health

Paul said his target was just to improve his own personal bests and see how far he could go personally; but he also felt that exercise was good for anyone who was getting older.

He said: "Physically, it helps with muscles wastage. It stops it going. It helps with ligament strength, which helps people stay stable and prevent falls.

"You don't need to be a world champion to do some physical exercise, which then stimulates your mental health side as well."

Paul said his next ambition was to retain his world title in Rome in June, and that he was hoping to push his world record a bit further too.