Exercise is crucial to keeping our service personnel fighting fit, mentally as well as physically, and supporting sport in the Royal Navy has always been an important part of our charity remit. Our grants have contributed towards gym refurbishments, deployment downtime activities and opportunities for the Royal Navy’s elite athletes to achieve their very best.
The RNRMC have been by the side of Submariner and powerlifter, PO Wes McGuinness, for several years and last year provided funding for a piece of state-of-the-art equipment to help Wes along his journey, competing among the world’s best. 2022 proved to be a big year for Wes, as he explains in a recent update:
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to the RNRMC, who have continuously shown support over the last decade.
“The financial backing from the RNRMC has helped contribute towards travel, accommodation, memberships, drug testing and entry fees and to purchase the powerlifting apparel I required for all the competitions this year.
“I can proudly say that 2022 was my best year since my powerlifting journey began back in 2011. After successfully achieving a silver medal and a spot on the podium at the British nationals in February, I found myself selected for not one, but four major International Powerlifting Federation this year. Receiving my first invitation to join Team GB at the IPF World Bench Press Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan in June. Currently now ranked 6th in the world at my weight category, we have made great progress moving up on from 7th in 2021.
“The Team GB Head coach was extremely impressed by the way I conducted myself throughout the whole event, my attitude towards other lifters, offering my assistance to help them be in the best position possible for their competitions. As a result, he gave me the opportunity to represent Team GB at the IPF European Championships held in Budapest, Hungary (August).
“Thinking that was the year done for international events, in September I received invitationals to represent my country at the IPF Commonwealth Championships held in Auckland, New Zealand. First up was the Bench Championships, where I managed to achieve my first podium finish securing a bronze medal with a personal best lift of 190kg, marginally missing gold by 7.5kg. Four days later I competed at the Full Power event, hitting another personal best squat of 255kg, bench press 185kg and a deadlift of 255kg, unfortunately rupturing my distal bicep tendon, which meant I wasn’t able to make a third attempt.
“During this very demanding powerlifting calendar I have competed at IPF World, European and Commonwealth level. I have also elevated the profile of not only powerlifting, but physical development within our Armed Forces, clearly demonstrating that our Fight Arm can strike a balance between protecting our Nation’s interests, respond during crisis, assisting with local authorities in emergencies, deploying on operations all over the world, but also prove the same courage, commitment, discipline, integrity, and professionalism to something outside of our core roles, such as a sport, in this case Powerlifting. This hopefully displays to others that it is possible and imperative to make time for themselves even with such high demanding roles that we can still manage our time healthy to continue to grow and improve our physical structure, mental resilience and support our mental wellbeing.
“I am huge believer that you are only as good as the support around you, I would not have been able to reach highest standard of competition without the financial support and training equipment provided by RNRMC and HMNB Devonport PT department (Wyvern Centre) over the last decade.”
