Somerset Ex-Marine becomes British Classic Bench Press 2024 champion

Mr Patten won the 2024 BP British Classic Bench Press Championships on Saturday

A magistrate and ex-Royal Marine who is now a bench press champion says he has reached a "tremendous milestone".

Ram Patten, 44, from Frome, started to compete a year ago as a way manage his PTSD symptoms.

He lifted 200Kg at the 2024 British Classic Bench Press Championships on Saturday. His sights are now on the world title.

"I want to say no other magistrates can bench-press what I can but I don't know," he said.

"I'm a family court magistrate, everyone there is extremely compassionate and I just feel like this is a great way to show them that you can be a magistrate and also sling some heavy circles in your spare time."

Mr Patten said his wife Candice has been an important part of his success at the competition

He said his mind went blank during the competition and doesn't remember doing the bench press, only that his "legs felt like jelly going up onto the stage".

"It was just tremendous," he said.

"Everything that we'd worked for turned out perfectly and the 200kg was a very comfortable win so I should be able to perform 210kg or 220kg at the worlds.

"This was a milestone in my journey but the worlds was always the goal so I think it's time to work now."

Mr Patten began the discipline to improve his mental health after returning from service in Afghanistan.

'Time to work'

He was diagnosed with complex combat post-traumatic stress disorder.

Mr Patten, who is autistic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is happy to "try his best" to support and raise awareness for other people.

"Autism, ADHD and PTSD - I'm a triple threat. I'm someone who needs to keep active, that's part of my ADHD," he added.

Mr Patten said the "worlds was always the goal so I think it's time to work now".

The World Championship will take place in America in May.