One of the impressive new breed of weight-lifters at the Strength Academy Wales gym in Haverfordwest is Freddy Christopher-Barnes, who is 16 years of age and is showing the maturity and commitment of someone much older in his determination to gain as much enjoyment as he can out of his chosen sport.
 
Freddy often attends the SAW gym at STP School each evening of the week, and sometimes on a Saturday morning, and it is good to report that his major focus isn't simply on winning trophies but the sheer enjoyment of testing himself in his training routines.
 
"I have taken part in several competitions and enjoyed them but there is nothing like the good feeling of tiredness after a work-out - and I also help my conditioning by swimming occasionally during the week and often on Sundays before I stretch out and enjoy the relaxation that follows."
 

Started almost by accident

 
Freddy started out in weight-lifting almost by accident on a taster day at Tasker Milward School when he went along to see what was on offer from Owain Rowlands, who was working at SAW in those days, and took to it straight away.

"I wasn't really aware of the SAW set-up then and had this idea that all weightlifters were huge people but really enjoyed myself - and when I received a letter at home inviting me to attend I went along and I haven't looked back since.
 
"What is brilliant is the warm welcome given to every newcomer and I was no exception - and it is the same today at training sessions because other lifters shout huge encouragement, especially if they know that someone is trying to achieve a new personal best.
 

Gentle start and progress soon made

 
"At first I started with just a bar, with no weights attached, and learned the techniques known as 'Clean and Jerk' and 'Snatch', the latter proving the harder to be proficient at.
 
"From there I was gradually allowed to add small weights to the 7kg bar and I will always remember the thrill I felt when I managed to lift the bar from its support stands and squatted with my own weight.
 
"Then I could see that the weight I was lifting in the two techniques was improving, with 35kgs in the clean and jerk as a  marker - and at the moment my personal best has developed to 57kgs, which I'm delighted with in under a year.
 
"In the snatch, which is my weaker technique, I've reached a PB of 41gs but it is a work in progress and I know if I keep training hard the improvements will follow."
 

Nerve-wracking start to competition . . .

 
Freddy has already taken part in some competitions and can vividly recall his debut in a schools' contest at the SA1 gym in Swansea,  travelling to a cold, old warehouse of a place, with Justin Head, who is doing such a good job of coaching at SAW alongside head coach Simon Roach, Jim Horner and Naomi Pearce.
 
"There were ten competitors in my class and standing alone on the mat in front of everyone was nerve-wracking and I was literally shaking as I did the warm-up with Justin - but I was pleased that I managed all my six lifts (three in each technique) and had personal bests in both of them!
 

. . . but success soon  followed!

 
"My first big competition was the Gemau Cymru at the National Centre for Excellence in Sophia Gardens in Cardiff and I was even more nervous because of the crowd, which included my mother Sue, who is best known as a swimming coach but has been a brilliant supporter for me in all I've tried to do, as she has done with my younger brother Travis Christopher-Milne, who is a useful all-round sportsman."
 
"Again I achieved two PBs and was delighted that I helped the SAW squad to win the team event and so picked up my first gold medal.
 

Other sporting involvement

 
Freddy is currently studying GCSE PE at Tasker Milward School and focusing on weight lifting (naturally!), cross country, basketball and circuit training - but was previously a very good swimmer after starting out early with mum Sue at the Haverfordwest Seals and picking up his fair share of medals.
 
He enjoyed long-distance swimming with his favourite breast-stroke technique and still swims, but for fitness and conditioning, writing out his own programmes in the process.
 

Illuminating tome schedule

 
It is part of a strict self-imposed regime which shows his total commitment and is as follows:
Monday AM: 7o'clock visit to Haverfordwest Leisure Centre to use the fitness suite.
Evening: Two hours at SAW - bench pressing with Jim, developing chest, shoulders and triceps.
Tuesday AM: Another early visit to the fitness suite at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre.
Evening: Working with brother Travis at SAW doing squats, plus the clean and jerk.
Wednesday evening: Work on the clean and jerk, dead lift, snatch.
Thursday Evening: Some more of the same!
Friday Evening: Conditioning work
Saturday AM: Catch-up time - working on things that hadn't gone well enough or conditioning
Sunday: Often a swim and contented feet up for the rest of the day!
 

High praise from Justin

 
At the moment Freddy is working towards full fitness in readiness for the Welsh Open Championships whilst having to put up with a wrist sprain that prevents him working flat out.

But as coach Justin Head told us,
"Freddy is a committed worker in the gym and needs little encouragement to work hard. A measure of his maturity can be gauged from the fact that although at the moment he can't work at a full rate of knots he still manages to work on the areas where his slight sprain won't be made worse."
 
When he finishes school Freddy is aiming for a career in HM Forces and we are confident that he will do well in whatever career he finally settles on because as well as being committed and focussed he is a modest and unassuming young man with an attitude towards participation over competition that is very refreshing in this day and age where winning has often become all-important!