Luke is Wales’s Strongest Man!

Welshpool’s very own Luke Weaver has been crowned the strongest man in Wales following a staggering televised performance in Cardiff on Sunday.

Luke, who only started the sport in 2021, continued his sensational summer by adding the Welsh open weight title to his British U120kg crown claimed in June and is now hoping to be invited to the Official Strongman Games taking place this November in Florida.

The 38-year-old said that it had been a dream to just compete in the Wales Strongest Man event, but to win it was “unbelievable”.

“When I started Strongman it was a dream just to get to this competition, just to be there, nevermind win it,” Luke told us. “I have got no words to describe it. It is unbelievable.

“I lack belief a lot of the time. But one thing I do is always give 100% because then I can live with myself. This year has gone really well despite adversity, training not going so well, injuries. I just can’t believe it.”

Luke decided to decline surgery for a torn abductor muscle four months ago to try and compete in this event, and the gamble has paid off.

The freight train driver’s journey to the top has been achieved through sheer hard work and the weekend competition in Cardiff saw him push himself to his limits and beyond against some brilliant competition in the capital.

Born and raised in Welshpool, Luke attended Welshpool High School, boxed for Welshpool Amateur Boxing Club and also played football for several local teams before taking Strongman more seriously in 2021.

These days he lives and work as a freight train driver in Nantwich but was cheered on in Cardiff by family and friends from Welshpool, and was praised by Welshpool Town Council earlier this summer for spending the afternoon at the town’s Carnival where he proved a popular attraction.

Luke’s success has come with the support of sponsors Kingdom Strength (kit) and his local gym G-Zed Gym, who he says have both been brilliant. He is also grateful to local businessman Shane Clee of Forden Concrete Products Ltd who created specialist training equipment.