Weightlifting club takes a clutch of medals as Sunderland stages its first major competition

The Nixon Rowell Memorial Competition was held at the Raich Carter Centre and organised by Weights & Cakes, a weightlifting club which was only formed in 2020.

The competition has various categories and was contested by lifters aged from eight upwards, representing clubs from across the north of England. The competitors were mainly children, plus students from the universities of Sunderland, Durham, Northumbria and Newcastle; although the oldest lifter was 48.

The competition is named in honour of Nixon Rowell, a British weightlifting champion of the 1930s who was born and raised in Southwick, where Weights & Cakes is based. The prizes at the tournament were presented by his daughter, Sylvia Hargaves.

It was the first Nixon Rowell Memorial Competition, which is to be an annual event, returning to Sunderland in 2024.

Zoe Chandler is coach and founder of Weights & Cakes, Sunderland’s only affiliated British weightlifting club for children, teenagers and adults.

She is delighted with how the event went for her team of 12, particularly for one of her protégés, 14 year-old St Aidan’s pupil Zach Taylor.

Zoe said: “Zach actually hit 141 kilos, which qualifies him for the British Age Group Championships in Leeds in August. That will be his first national competition. He was our very first member when we opened up in Sunderland.

“They all did brilliantly. One of our lifters finished second; the rest all won.

“We really enjoyed it. It was great to take 12 children lifting on the day. They all trained really hard and they’re looking forward to doing it all again next year.”

Zoe, 50, is an accomplished weightlifter herself. In May she took the gold medal representing Great Britain in the W50 category at the European Masters Weightlifting Championships in County Waterford, Ireland, beating stiff competition from Spanish and Dutch lifters.

Zoe added: “I didn’t get in last year, so I was buzzing when I got in this time.”

Weights & Cakes is not just about weightlifting. The club is also a Community Interest Company which aims to increase social inclusion, improve fitness and general well-being as well as boost self confidence. Visit www.weightsandcakes.com for more information.