WEIGHT OF EXPECTATION
Teenager wins gold at Welsh championships and now sets sights on Commonwealth Games
ATEENAGER from Gwynedd has won a gold medal at the Welsh Weightlifting Championships – having only started weightlifting to get stronger for rugby.
Eighteen-year-old Cian Green, who hails from Nantlle, near Penygroes, is a Level 3 Welding and Fabrication student at Coleg Menai’s Llangefni campus and emerged victorious at the recent championships held in the Brailsford Centre at Bangor University.
Cian competed in the U20s competition and lifted 100kg Snatch and 130kg Clean and Jerk. The national competition brought together youth and junior lifters from all around the country to compete at the first Welsh weightlifting competitions of 2022.
The Clwb Rygbi Caernarfon player started weightlifting to improve his strength in order to enhance his rugby-playing abilities.
Cian revealed that his ambition now is to follow in the footsteps of the likes of North Wales weightlifting legends such as Gareth Evans and Ray Williams by representing his country at the Commonwealth Games.
He said: “I’m really pleased with my performance at the Welsh Championships.
“I’ve been training four times a week in preparation, and have had to schedule my training around my college work.
“I can’t wait to see how this year progresses, and I am hoping one day to represent Wales at the Commonwealth Games.”
Cian realised he could be successful in the sport when he began to notice he was lifting impressive numbers and that meant he began to prioritise weightlifting over rugby.
“I realised I had potential when I broke records and hit good numbers for my age and bodyweight.
“Rugby is just a hobby for me now as I’m putting more time and determination into my weightlifting.”
Cian’s family have been extremely supportive of his ambitions and he hopes to make them even prouder in the future by representing Wales on the global stage.
He said: “My family are very proud and happy for me after the competition and it’s nice to see them like that after all they’ve done for me.
“The aim now has to be the 2026 Commonwealth
Games but I’m also hoping to be selected for
Team GB later this year and participate in competitions for
Wales.”