Raising the bar as Warley trio land medals

Riley Hutton, aged 16, from Tipton became a British champion for the first time by winning the men's 94kg category at the under-17 event in Castleford.

At the senior championships, held at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, Wolverhampton's Louise Webster claimed first place in the women's 75kg class.

Cyrille Fagat Tchatchet II finished third in the men's 94kg event. Their achievements underline the good work being put in at the Harry Mitchell Leisure Centre in Smethwick.

That's where Gian Singh Cheema, who has competed in the Commonwealth Games, is coach. He said: "Riley snatched 95kg and clean and jerked 105kg.

"He has only been training for a year and now he is the British champion.We are hoping next year he will go the European Championships and compete in the junior category.

"Louise snatched 78kg and clean and jerked 105kg. She has done very well and can try for the Commonwealth Games coming up in 2018.

"Cyrille competed at the Commonwealth Games for Cameroon two years ago and he snatched 140kg and clean and jerked 110kg."

Cheema, who won a bronze medal at the Asian Games in 1982, added: "We have got around seven or eight competitive lifters down at the club.

"Our aim is to produce athletes of an international standard. We are very pleased those from the club are doing very well, it gives us motivation."

Tchatchet is one of the club's most exciting prospects. He arrived in the UK in July 2014 and within a few months was representing his native Cameroon at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

An impressive performance in a world-class field saw him finish fifth, snatching 140kg with a 175kg clean and jerk in the 84kg weight category.

He turns 21 in August and is based in Small Heath. Cheema has provided the young contender with support since his arrival.

Tchatchet, from the Cameroonian capital of Yaoundé, plans to begin a sports studies course at Birmingham Metropolitan College in September.

It's a mark of his talent and ambition that he regards third place in the British championships as 'disappointing.'

He was hampered by an injured wrist and now plans to rest for a few months. He said: "I cleared my snatch weight, but my wrist injury was a problem for the clean and jerk lift.

"It was disappointing. I've had that problem for five or six months and it's a serious injury in weightlifting.

"I want to rest and recover now until October, where I'll enter the British under-23 weightlifting championships."

Tchatchet, a double British champion who also took three medals in the 2013 African championships in Morocco, is also eyeing next year's French championships.

He added: "I had no money when I came here so they've looked after me and supported me at the club.

"Since I started when I was 14 my aim was to win the Commonwealth Games or even the Olympic Games.

"I want to continue to train and compete locally until October for the under-23s. I have to sort out issues with which country I can represent."