Bearsden strongman lifts four European titles

A Bearsden powerlifter has smashed a host of records in landing four European Championship golds - and now he's aiming to conquer the world.
Mark Macqueen with his four Europeam gold medalsMark Macqueen with his four Europeam gold medals
Mark Macqueen with his four Europeam gold medals

Mark Macqueen took a clean sweep at the European Junior Championships in Denmark by winning all three individual disciplines plus the overall titles.

But he’s not resting on his laurels - instead the 22-year-old is already back to work preparing for the World Championships in Belarus in June.

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Competing in the under 120kg class in Thisted, Mark won gold in the squat, bench press and dead lift which also secured him the overall title.

His squat total of 321kg, bench press of 187.5kg and deadlift of 325kg were all new British records and just for good measure his squat was also a European record.

His overall total of 833.5kg was also a British record and left him well clear of the runner-up, Sweden’s Mehmet Kaya, back on 780kg.

Mark, a two-time Scottish and British champion and silver medallist at last year’s Euros, is in his last year in the junior (under-23) category before he steps up to the seniors.

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And he admitted while he had headed to Denmark with the aim of striking gold overall, his clean sweep was probably beyond his expectations.

He said: “The ultimate goal was to win the championship overall and the gold medals for each individual discipline was just a kind of silver lining.

“The squat, bench, dead lift and total were all personal bests. I was completely over the moon, everything just went completely right on the day, everything just really went my way.”

His next target is the worlds in Minsk in June and although there will be competition there from North American lifters not eligible for the Euros, he’s going for gold again and was back home and back in training just two days after his triumph in Denmark.

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He said: “I’m not 100 per cent sure of the competition but as far as I’m aware from what the GB team have told me I am the gold medal favourite.”

Mark, who runs his own business as a strength coach, became involved in the sport simply through lifting weights in the gym.

He said: “Just trying to get a bit stronger, a bit bigger, grew my passion for lifting weights.

“From there just researching lifting weights on the internet I came across powerlifters and signed up for my first competition. Now here I am and the rest is history.

”I’d like to thank are the GB coaches, my coach Ben Rice and the gym I go to which is Outcast Barbell Sanctuary.”

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