Joy Of Six For Navy Leaders Champion
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Powerlifter, Royal Navy submariner, and Navy Leaders champion Wesley McGuinness has been selected to represent his country for the sixth time.
Wes will represent Team Great Britain at the upcoming IPF World Bench Press Championships taking place in Drammen, Norway, from May 18-22.
“I was absolutely delighted to receive the news,” said Wes. “Although I had been named as a reserve for the past six to seven weeks, I remained focused, committed to my training, and hopeful that the opportunity would arise. That dedication has paid off.”
Read our in-depth feature on Wesley’s life and career — including the tale of his gold-medal triumph:
Good things come to those who (lift) weight!
With just three weeks remaining until the competition, Wesley has entered the final phase of his preparation. “We’re now transitioning into the peak phase of training, where the focus is on managing fatigue and optimising recovery to ensure I can deliver my best performance on the platform,” he added.
He was keen to extend his gratitude to those who have supported him throughout his journey. “I would like to thank Navy Leaders for their unwavering support this year — without them, none of this would have been possible.”
The IPF World Bench Press Championships will be streamed live; Navy Leaders will share the link once it becomes available. In other news, Wes has been confirmed as a member of the organising committee for the first-ever British Powerlifting Hands Across the Sea Championships 2025.
This groundbreaking event styled as “bridge between lifters across continents” will comprise of U.K. and U.S. athletes. Scheduled for November 22, it is intended to showcase international talent, and celebrate the strength of the global powerlifting community.
Wes is also waiting to hear whether he’s won selection to represent Great Britain for the European Championships in Malta in September.
At the start of April Wes scooped a gold medal at the 2025 English Bench Press Championships. The powerhouse grabbed the top spot on the podium with a personal milestone: he achieved a 5kg personal best of 200kg, a weight that also represented the heaviest bench press ever from a Royal Navy athlete at a British powerlifting event.
In February this year he scooped a bronze medal in Cardiff, competing at the British Powerlifting Bench Press National Championships despite being in the early stages of his training programme targeting success in Norway.
And in Sun City, South Africa in October 2024 he won a gold medal, triumphing in the 105kg bench press category at the International Powerlifting Federation Commonwealth Championships.