A Llandudno weightlifting club once on the brink of closure has roared back to life – and produced a new British champion.
Diamond Weightlifting on James Street was just weeks away from shutting down earlier this year with membership halved and the future looking bleak.
But since local couple Claire and Phil Higgins took charge, the club has doubled in size and its young athletes are hitting new heights.
Thirteen-year-old Charlie Ellis-Perry, from Colwyn Bay, struck gold at the British Junior Championship in Birmingham.
Meanwhile, teammate Izzy Deakin, 14, claimed bronze and two others, Iwan Pemberton, 16, smashed a personal best and his sister, Della, a Welsh squad member, built on pervious achievements.
Charlie, who has been with the gym from the age of seven, made six out of six lifts with a 56 kilogram snatch followed by a 66 kilo clean and jerk for a winning total of 112kg and the gold medal.
The club are actively recruiting, especially in the six to 10-year-old minis and 11 to 15 juniors age groups, and are running five training sessions a week at their town centre gym.
There there’s an impressive array of equipment on two floors and an enthusiastic squad of young lifters looked after by Claire and Phil, their two young, qualified coaches and some enthusiastic parents.
Claire, whose day job is chief executive of the Anheddau charity which helps adults with support needs, said: “The club was within a couple of weeks of closure when we took over with only 15 members when it once had 60
“The nearest clubs to us are in Holyhead, on Anglesey, and Mold in Flintshire so that would have been difficult but we’ve kept it going and managed to double the membership but we still need a few more.
“We really also need new premises so we’re actively looking for somewhere suitable because we have a really dedicated team here and some really promising young weightlifters.
“Three of the girls and one of the boys are in the top ten in Wales in their categories and the coaches here do a brilliant job.
“They’re very careful to teach good technique because weightlifting is always about that and not just brute strength.
“Due to both Phill and my experience we also cater for children with additional needs and love seeing them develop and grow “
Seamus Leonard-Thomas, aged 19, is one of the coaches and he said: “I’ve been training here since I was 11 – my mum had seen it advertised and I was keen on rugby and thought that weightlifting would help me with that.
“What happened was that the lifting took over and so did the coaching so now I work with the minis and juniors and I really enjoy it.”
The club has support from the parents too including Jack Such, from Llandudno Junction, whose son, Theo, is one of the youngest members at just six.
Jack said: “I’m into weightlifting. I found out about the club on Instagram and I wish I’d started sooner myself.
“Theo is into football and swimming and he needed somewhere else to direct his energy and so we started him on weightlifting and he loves it – he gets more excited about it than his football.
“The guys who coach here really teach them properly with a real focus on technique and things like diet and I think the sport is really good for discipline and application.
“Theo is absolutely hooked on it and we tell him ,’You’re not going to get your deadlift up if you don’t eat your chicken.”
Isabella Ledru’s son, Anakin, has been with the club for two years and she said: “He would come here every day if he could. He loves it.
“He plays a lot of other sports too and it helps with them and with his ADHD. It’s really good for him and for his self-discipline and we can see the progress he has made.
“The people here are lovely too. Seamus the coach is brilliant with them and the kids love him.”
Claire added: “We have young lifters developing fast and new faces joining weekly and we’re rolling out a new timetable this month with updated class times, new development groups and pathways for adults to move up to higher levels.
“Whether a child wants to compete or just build fitness and confidence, Diamond is a welcoming space for all and we’re excited for the future.”
