United Welsh IT specialist Mel to represent Wales in Powerlifting at Commonwealth Championships

An IT specialist within United Welsh’s Technology and Transformation team has been selected to represent Wales in Powerlifting at the Commonwealth Championships in Canada – despite only starting the sport three years ago.

Mel Rawsthorne, who works at United Welsh as Software and Development Principal, will be competing as part of the Wales team at the Championships in September.

We spoke to Mel about her journey from starting in Powerlifting to breaking records and being selected to represent Wales internationally.

When did you first take up Powerlifting?

“I only started strength training three years ago. It was around my 35^th birthday and I felt like I needed to do something because I was not really doing any kind of exercise.

“I sent a message to a Personal Trainer I had worked with before and she suggested I try a strength and conditioning class at a local gym.

“During my first session the focus was deadlifts, which turned out to be one of my stronger lifts. The coach taking the session assumed I had trained before, and when I told him I hadn’t he looked at the weights I was lifting and said, “that is not normal”.

“In the next few weeks, he kept suggesting I should compete as I was not far away from some of the records set in competitions. So, I thought I would give it a go. I did my first competition that summer and properly fell in love with Powerlifting.

“I’ve done a lot of training now, but when I first started out it was just natural strength. I don’t think women are as encouraged to be strong. I guess men are a little bit more when they are younger, but women not so much. So, I was quite late in finding out I had all that natural strength.

“I do think that’s changing now. You see lots of women in the gym now doing strength training and being celebrated for it which is amazing. I’d encourage anyone thinking about trying out strength training to give it a go. It’s such an empowering and healthy hobby.”

How did you find your first competition?

“My first competition was great. I hadn’t trained for very long before so I didn’t have high expectations, which sometimes can be a good thing.

“I got personal bests in all my lifts. It was a really good introduction to Powerlifting.

“I then did a competition probably a year later with the International Powerlifting Federation and I broke the Welsh deadlift record by about 20kgs.

“After this competition, one of the Welsh coaches said I should apply for the international team.

“I did a home nations competition with England, Northern Ireland and Scotland and then I went to Luxembourg to compete for Wales in a small nations competition where I came 3^rd. Last year I competed in the British Championships where I came 4^th.

“My last competition was the Welsh Championships, where I broke the Welsh deadlift record again, lifting 240kg. I also broke the Welsh total record too, totalling 572.5kg. Meaning no other woman in Welsh Powerlifting has lifted more, which I was incredibly proud of.”

How do you train?

“I train four times a week for a minimum of two hours in each session. It’s probably 10 hours a week that I spend training.

“It’s quite a lot but it’s the first sport where I’ve found I do it because I want to do it. I never have to force myself to the gym.

“I think consistency is the reason that things have gone so well. I hardly ever miss a session.

“As soon as I started, I got a coach. They send me a spreadsheet that tells me what I need to do in each session, so I just turn up and do what I’m told.

“The training is normally in five-week blocks with a gradual build-up of weight each week, then on the next block the weight drops down to allow for some recovery and to prevent injuries, then it builds back up gradually.

“The flexible working at United Welsh also makes a massive difference. The team is so supportive as well. When I was selected for the Championships, they gave me a card and flowers which was really lovely.”

How does Powerlifting compare to your job at United Welsh?

“It is quite different, I don’t think people expect me to be a powerlifter. I think there’s a stigma with strength sports that people assume you need to be aggressive, which I’m not.
“It is quite similar in that there is a lot of focus on data involved in the training and work.

“Powerlifting is more of a solo sport, whereas there is lots of teamwork in my day-to-day role. Though that being said, I have met some amazing and inspirational people through Powerlifting.”

How do you feel about being selected for the Commonwealth Championships?

“It’s truly amazing. It’s been very surreal how it’s all happened so quickly.

“The Championships go on for two weeks and I will be competing on the last day which is good because it’s the day of the closing banquet, so we will get to celebrate.

“I know some of the others in the Welsh team so hopefully there will be an opportunity to meet up with them.

“I’m really looking forward to the experience and am incredibly proud to represent Wales. I would say I’m quite a relaxed lifter. You get some people who get angry to get in the zone for lifting but I’ve been called the ‘smiler’ because I’m just happy to be there.

“There are about four of us very close to third place, so the dream would be to make the podium at the Commonwealth, but it’s going to be a tough fight.”