Bradford teenager Ged Sykes has made a big impact on his powerlifting debut.

The 17-year-old from Wibsey broke the British record in the bench press in the under-18 83kg unequipped category at the Yorkshire & North East Federation Classic Powerlifting Championships at Ashington.

Sykes put the record up from 130kg to 131kg (just over 20 stone), and also broke the Yorkshire and North East divisional records in both the under-18 unequipped 83kg and junior categories.

With his lifts in the squat, bench press and deadlift, he totalled half a tonne, and has now qualifed for the British Championships in Lincolnshire in October.

Another benefit is that he was aked to try out for the best powerlifting team in the country - the Steelmen Powerlifting Club in Morley - the week after the event, and was invited to join the squad after just one day's training.

Sykes said: "I am proud to be part of a very small and talented team of four, including one world champion and two British champions, and am preparing to be a British champion myself!

"The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, but I am now the most focused I ever have been in my life and I am determined to become a British champion and bring the title back to Bradford and to Wibsey - something only dreams are made of.

"I have only been strength training for around two months but prior to this I had lifted weights for a long time - but nothing like to the standard that is required in powerlifting."

Sykes, who has played amateur rugby league for West Bowling, works at the Streamline Health Club in Wibsey as a fitness instructor, but is also running his own business as a nutritionist with Sykes Nutrition.