He’s flying the flag for Paisley at word championships in Vegas

A Paisley armwrestling ace has hit the jackpot after booking his spot on the plane to Las Vegas.

But it is no rest for the wicked as 38-year-old Sean Paterson is now back in the gym as he gears up for June’s World Armwrestling Championships.

Paterson, from Kilpatrick Avenue, enjoys a glowing reputation in the sport that he only took up five years ago, and is the current British champion with both arms.

He is also ranked number one in the British rankings for the 85kilo weight category, and is a regular on the European circuit.

But following his latest triumph in the recent European Qualifiers in Lancashire, Paterson now has the bright lights of Vegas to look forward to as he prepares to swap the pavements for sidewalks and streets for boulevards.

Paterson told Express Sport: “I only took up the sport about five years ago but I have never looked back.

“I had always been decent at armwrestling in school. I mean everyone has tried armwrestling at some point.

“It was actually my dad who had mentioned an armwrestling club out in Milngavie, I wasn’t aware that there was such a thing. I got in touch with them. It is run out of a lock-up and it is the only one of its kind in the country. They sorted me out and it has been fantastic.

“Pro-Life in Paisley have also been a massive help and have been very supportive of everything I do, and I can’t thank them enough.

“I’m constantly training for competitions. It has allowed me to see the world as I have to travel to the likes of Poland for competitions. But now with Vegas confirmed, I can’t wait, I’m really looking forward to it.”

When he isn’t competing, Paterson is in the gym working on his strength and grip. He explained that his training is different to your standard weight training in the gym, with his routine tailored for competitions.

He is set to regularly hit the gym in the run up to Vegas trip, which takes place on June 29. Paterson will fly out a few days beforehand with his wife Elaine, before facing off against the best armwrestlers in the world.

However, family and friends back home won’t miss the opportunity to roar their man on to success, with the tournament being broadcast live on ESPN. Thousands of people across the globe are set to tune in, with the sport enjoying increasing popularity on the other side of the Atlantic.

Paterson added: “I was delighted to make it all the way through to Vegas – it is obviously very exciting.

“Before the qualifiers, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was confident and felt I had a decent chance of qualifying.

“I now want to go over there and compete to the best of my ability. It all depends on the seedings and the draw – but it would be amazing if I could go there and finish inside the top 10. That would be a great achievement.

“If you lose on two pins, then you are out, so it will be tense and you need to be at your very best.”

It has allowed me to see the world as I have to travel to the likes of Poland for competitions