Sussex Police officers becomes world bench press champion

Linc Rose, 50, from Hove, successfully bench-pressed 75kg and 80kg to beat team mate Kelly Clark in the 69kg category.

By securing the maximum 12 points in her category, Linc, who is part of Sussex Police’s Corporate Development Department Strategic Insights Team, also helped team Great Britain secure the Masters 2 title in addition to her individual accolade, Sussex Police said. The event was held in the Lithuanian capital Vilnus on October 26.

Linc Rose said: “I am absolutely elated. I have been competing in powerlifting for the last three-years, since starting training with Sergei, a former Team GB powerlifting coach in Brighton. I began working with him after recovering from a serious back injury, a fully ruptured disc in my lower back.

“I thought, following this that I’d have to give up strength training with weights which I found a very hard pill to swallow as it’s what I’ve always loved. It’s my go to for my mental as well as physical wellbeing.

“I had spent two years after the injury building up my strength with calisthenics and bodyweight exercises but it wasn’t quite the same. It’s been an amazing journey and the sense of achievement enormous.”

Like many people the coronavirus pandemic meant Linc had to make some improvisations at home to continue training.

She added: “Training through the pandemic was tough, especially because it’s difficult to bench press with a cat on your chest as apparently if you lie down in this house, you are fair game as a cat bed!

“I was very fortunate to have some equipment at home and I was able to borrow some from my coach, which meant I kept training. But I struggled with having the set up at home. Only because I’d get distracted or I would procrastinate. When you go to the gym you’re there and you get on and workout. At home I wasn’t as focused.

“I was determined to do what I could to keep my training going and my numbers up. I was so, so happy when I got back to full time training at the beginning of this year. Even happier to make that competition personal best of 85kg at the British Championships in August earning a place on Team GB.”

Now Linc has taken the IBF title, she explained her future ambitions: “My goal now is to get stronger and improve my technique. I’m just about to start working with a new coach as Sergei has retired, and that is very exciting to continue to see what I can do. After lifting 87.5kg at the World Championships, the goal is to make and break the 90kg mark.”