St Mary’s Students Make Big Gains in Powerlifting Championships

Adam Mattiussi, a student from St Mary’s University, Twickenham, has been selected for the European Senior Weightlifting Championships in November. Adam, who recently graduated from St Mary’s BSc in Strength and Conditioning Science, has now enrolled to study MSc Sports Rehabilitation at the University. Despite achieving the Commonwealth Games qualifying standard on two occasions this year, Adam missed selection for the Games by one place at the England trials. Selection for the Championships has now put him back on the European stage. This isn’t the only good news for the St Mary’s Strength club, as third year undergraduate student Sidney Atkinson recently qualified for the British Powerlifting Championships which will take place in October. In winning his age category at the regional qualifying championships earlier this month, Sidney lifted 180kg, 112.5kg and 235kg in the squat, bench press and deadlift respectively. St Mary’s Strength and Conditioning Science Programme Director Richard Blagrove said, “This is great news for our students and it validates their hard work and commitment to training. Our students, as well as coaches, train incredibly hard so when they are selected for competitive championships at this level, it is always rewarding.” St Mary’s Strength and Conditioning Science degree began seven years ago and has evolved into a highly successful programme with the reputation of producing outstanding Strength and Conditioning coaches. The development of the programme has resulted in the construction of a new Performance and Conditioning Education Centre, which will open next month. The degree also includes the opportunity to sit for accreditation with the UK Strength and Conditioning Association, and will also prepare students for completion of the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) qualification in the USA. To find out more, click here.