VETERAN lifters, John Fulton and Ian Tudor, of the Fakenham Power Lifting club, came away from the world single-lift bench press championships at Bradford with gold and silver awards, writes Peter Bird.

VETERAN lifters, John Fulton and Ian Tudor, of the Fakenham Power Lifting club, came away from the world single-lift bench press championships at Bradford with gold and silver awards, writes Peter Bird.

John Fulton, now 83, took yet another title in the 90 kilo body-weight class in his age group even though he registered only one valid lift. He successfully pressed 90 kilos, fractionally over his own body weight.

Fulton, who holds the world record of 105 kilos in this event, set at the British championships two years ago, admitted that recent health problems had prevented him from being at his best.

Tudor's campaign to win yet another world title ended up being something of a missed opportunity. Now 60 and a Master 5 competitor in the 110 kilo body weight category, he started by successfully pressing 145 kilos, upped the weights to 152.5 kilos which he failed, then failed again with his third lift at 155 kilos.

Meanwhile his closest opponent, Hubert Gardle, Switzerland, successfully pressed 150 kilos which gave him the title and relegated Tudor to second place.

Tudor has set 20 world records and won numerous world titles since he was encouraged but Fulton to begin competing in 1988. Now he is considering taking a year out of competition. “I've been lifting for over 40 years and competing for 20. At the moment I've lost my appetite for competition.”