Power-Lifters’ Feature:

 
 
Jay Rogers has been training hard in Haverfordwest for the past two years and his commitment and willingness to take advice really paid dividends because after gaining valuable experience at seven competitions in Wales and England he was selected for the Welsh Power-Lifting team that jetted out to Sun City, in Johannesburg, South Africa that competed there in the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships.
 
He went alongside his team mates Ieuan Hood and Lewis Davies, plus Helen Carrington, who had such a wonderful time with her amazing record haul that she treated herself to an extended stay in this beautiful setting.
 

Started from scratch – and given every support

 
Jay had played some junior football but then didn’t get involved in any sport until that vital time when he decided he should get fitter, and lose weight at the same time - and so went along to the gym with the full support of his father Lawrence Rogers.
 
“I started going to the gym when i was 15 and it has literally changed my life for the better, especially since I now have Chloe Hood, one of the best-known local weightlifting coaches, as my girl-friend, and she has given me great advice, although I have taken up power lifting because it is slightly less technical and enables me to use strength instead. We both train at S7, one of the best Pembrokeshire sport facilities.”
 

His PBs have increased dramatically – and he now has specialist help from ‘Across the Border’ 

 
Jay’s personal best, once he had mastered the basic techniques of the Squat, Bench Press and Dead Lift were respectively 205, 120 and 225 Kgs, a combined total of 550 kgs - and in two short years his hard work in his three-times a week sessions has seen him achieve a new personal best of 260, 152 and 255 kgs for a combined total of 667kgs - an amazing increase of 117kgs or 18stone 4lbs, the weight of baby elephant
.
Outside of the close-at-hand support in the gym, Jay also has a specialist coach in Sam Coombs, from Yeovil, who holds regular contact within sessions and visit to support Jay when he can at competitions.
 

Came third in the Welsh Championships – and survived an uncomfortable journey to South Africa

 
Jay came third in his weight category in the National Championships in Cardiff, which earned him selection for the Commonwealth Championships and in the intervening time has really worked hard at his fitness, techniques and good diet so that he had the best chance of doing his best.
 
“There was a great atmosphere at the games, with well over 30 countries competing, and I will never forget the atmosphere there. I travelled with Chloe’s brother Ieuan and it was a long haul in an uncomfortable plane for over 12 hours.
 
“We travelled on Friday, got acclimatised the next day and then trained hard before competing on the Wednesday - and then back on another tough journey the next day.
I finished up with totals of 252, 152 and 252kgs, which was only 13 kgs short of my personal best so I was satisfied with my ninth place in a large category.
 
“The next Commonwealth Championships are in Canada in two years’ time and I am definitely going to aim for them and really work hard so that I can improve on this result - knowing that they will have great help from coaches and fellow lifters, which I would recommend to anyone looking for a new challenge because they, like me, would be guaranteed every assistance!”