Success came at an early age for Barnbrook
Triple Junior British Powerlifting Champion, Joshua Barnbrook talks exclusively to 'The Sporting Opinion' about his career so far and what lies ahead.
Name: Joshua (Barney) Barnbrook
Born: 29th October 1990 - Stourbridge
Sport: GB Powerlifting - 74kg Class
Education: Swansea University - Sports Science
When you talk to most successful sportsmen or youngsters breaking into high levels of competition, you always hear the cliche that it's been their dream since day one and that they have never wanted to do anything else with their lives, but with Joshua Barnbrook, we find an exception.
The twenty-year-old from the West Midlands originally took up power-lifting to help improve his rugby skills as a youngster. This paired with encouragement from his father, who won deadlift gold at the European and World Masters, was the starting point for Barnbrook's powerlifting ventures.
After a handful of training sessions Barnbrook was entered into his first competition, where he claimed victory. This was the moment when belief began to build as performances improved and chances to impress came thick and fast.
After months of competing and hard work in the gym, Barnbrook became Junior British Powerlifting champion. He would go on to claim this title no less than three times, describing the feeling of becoming the best as 'awesome'.
"When you've trained so hard for the months preceeding the competition, it's a great feeling knowing it's all been for a reason", Barnbrook told us.
The Stourbridge-born lifter trains regularly either with his dad at home or with his housemates at University in Swansea, where he studies Sports Science.
"Thankfully my housemates at University and mates back home all go to the gym regularly as well so i've always got someone to train with. If the uni boys didn't go I think i'd struggle really", he confessed.
When asked about the future, Barnbrook sensibly spoke about room for improvement and further training.
"Everyone can improve. I've got a long way to go yet before i'd say I was a really good lifter, i'm still relatively inexperienced" he continued.
Although being previously invited to attend both the European and World Championships in recent years, 'Barney' has found that clashes with his A-Levels and his other passion, Rugby, have prevented his participation along with the sheer cost of competing in other areas of the world.
For the near future there was talk of some 'time off' to concentrate on rugby whilst finishing off his degree but there was confirmation that training would still go ahead with improvement the main aim. His father, and role model, meanwhile, will no doubt keep the passionate flame of lifting ignited within him.
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