A Newport man is set to compete in the UK Strongman semi final this weekend after balancing early morning training sessions with managing one of Amazon’s busiest delivery stations in Cardiff.
Luke Sperduti, a Shift Manager of Delivery Operations at Amazon’s Cardiff delivery station, will compete in the UK Strongman semi final in Glasgow on Saturday, August 8. It marks the third summer he has competed at the national event.
Luke’s journey into Strongman began during his four and a half years in the Army, where he was introduced to powerlifting by a coach. After leaving the forces in 2020, he joined Amazon as a warehouse worker during the pandemic before progressing into management.
His first opportunity to compete came when a former rugby coach, who was taking part in the Wales’ Strongest Man final, needed a late replacement after another competitor withdrew through injury. Luke stepped in and finished fourth in his first ever competition.
“I was expecting to join and progressively go through, so that was a bit of a shock,” he said.
A second place finish in Wales earned him his first appearance at the UK’s Strongest Man competition.
To fit training around work and family life with his partner and young child, Luke starts his day at 5am before heading to the gym.
“I’ve had to make time, so I get up that little bit earlier and go to the gym,” he said. “It means I’m not missing time with my family.”
Among his personal bests are a 200kg Atlas Stone lift for two repetitions, a 170kg overhead log press and a 340kg deadlift. Strongman competitions also feature events including truck pulls and car rolling.
Luke said the goal setting approach he developed through Strongman has also helped his career progression at Amazon, where he has worked his way through supervisor and management roles.
“I always had short-term, medium-term and long-term goals in training, and I used the same approach at work,” he said. “I think being structured through training has made me more successful at Amazon too.”
Looking to the future, Luke hopes to reach the professional stage of World’s Strongest Man.
“If I push my body as much as I can and don’t get there, I’ll be as happy as if I did,” he said. “It’s about giving my best and seeing where I end up.”
He also encouraged others interested in taking up the sport to focus on building strength before entering competitions.
“Get strong in the gym before you jump into competitions,” he said. “And don’t quit. You’re going to fail and make mistakes, but as long as you keep trying, eventually you’ll get better than you were if you hadn’t tried at all.”
The UK Strongman semi final will be broadcast on Channel 5 on Saturday, August 8.
