The British Disabled Bench Press Championships was held on Saturday (6th June 2009) at Stoke Mandeville. Twenty five lifters took part with the best lifter award being won by Natalie Blake and Jason Irving. Many lifters set personal bests including Zoe Newson who set a new British Junior record and just missed a European Junior record. Nathaniel Wilding and Adam Alderman were another two lifters who made notable improvements.
A vistiing team from Saudi Arabia took part. Ibrahim al Prahim, Mohammed al Hawal and Abdulmonem al Nasser are seen pictured right with His Royal Highness Prince Fahad Al Soud, who presented the medals.
Following the Championships, the Annual General Meeting of the British Weightlifting Association for Disabled (BWAD) was held. The meeting agreed to formulate a position statement and service level agreement to be approved at the BWLA Executive Board meeting on 6th July, whereby BWAD will become the Disabled Committee for BWLA and be responsible for Grow, Sustain and Excel of Paralympic Activities within the United Kingdom.
A Central England Weightlifting Competition was held on Sunday, 7th June at Evesham Rowing Club, our thanks to Steve and Karen Baldwin who organised the event. There were fourteen lifters and good performances were achieved by many lifters including new faces from Derby People gym; Alex Sharpe and Antonio Cagnani and Blake Longden from the Empire Club, Bristol.
A collection of photographs taken by spectators can be see at the Gallery on the Home 
Page. 
Mike Sheard (left) snatched a new British U17 and U16 record replacing the former record by Saun Trebillcock set at the 2000 Commonwealth Youth Games. Mike narrowly missed a 115 kg jerk to set a new total record.
Carter Anslow (right) from the Empire demostrated good technique as he prepares himself for the British U13 and U11 Development Cup on 27th June 2009 at the Empire Sports Club.
EQUALITY STATEMENT
The BWLA is presently working towards the Sporting Equals Foundation Standard for Equality. As part of this project, Maggie Lynes, BWLA Executive Board member and Equality Champion has rewritten the BWLA Equality Statement which appears unders Standards on the BWLA website. Any comments on the draft Statement, then please forward to Steve Cannon ( by 30th June for discussion at the next BWLA Executive Board meeting on 6th July.
