RECORD-BREAKING powerlifter Mick Amey has come out of retirement at the age of 73 – and has the world title in his sights.

The record-breaker from Copford hung up his weights in 2019 having dominated the sport for three decades, shattering records and landing multiple world and European titles.

An elbow injury forced Amey to quit but after successfully undergoing surgery on the ailment last year, he is now fighting fit – and winning medals again.

Amey was one of a team of four powerlifters from Colchester-based Energyze gym to recently become East Midlands champions.

And after that, the three-time Colchester Sports Personality of the Year runner-up now has next year’s World International Powerlifting Federation (IBF) Championships in Mongolia firmly his sights.

Amey said: “I’ve been training and getting it stronger and stronger.

“I’ve been training at Energize gym with this young lady called Gracie Besant who’s 15 along with my son and I’ve basically been getting stronger and stronger, so I’ve decided to have a go at the worlds next year.

“My elbow is the best it’s been in years; what my surgeon, Mr Stanton, actually did was move the tendons from underneath my elbow to on top of my elbow.

“He also took out some broken bits of bone that was in the elbow causing loads of problems.

“His wife is a physio and the two of them together have done an amazing job.

“Now my elbow is good, I think I can honestly win it.

“I’m doing something that I love and I want to get there.

“I’ve never won the world IBF title.

“I’ve won all of the others including the world drug free and now because of the job that Mr Stanton has done, I now feel strong enough to have another go.

“I’m hoping that I can hit the big waves and over the next few months.”

Amey, who has been powerlifting for 35 years, was one of four lifters from Energyze Gym to claim victory at the recent East Midlands competition, staged in Letchworth.

He said: “I got a total of 440kg at the East Midlands comp, so I was pleased with that bearing in mind it was a three-lift comp and I hadn’t done one of those for nearly two years.”

Gazette:

Gracie’s qualifying total was 172.5 and she lifted 320kg thanks to a squat of 110kg, a bench of 60kg and a dead lift of 150 kilos, at a body weight of 69 kilos.

Mick Amey’s son Daniel squatted a total of 190 kilos, dead lifted 230 kilos and benched 160 kilos, with a steel rod in his leg.

He got a best total of 580kg, which pushes him through to next year’s Masters 1 British Championship.

Fellow Energyze member Shirley Blok also became East Midlands champion, at the event after winning her group.

Mick is coached by son Ashley, who has been with him every step of the way.

He said: “Ashley has been with me all the time and he does so much work for everyone.

“On this day, he worked for all four people and basically coached four East Midland champions.

“He’s done an amazing job; when you’re using equipment, the coach is so important and you’re relying on him so much.

“On top of that, the support that we’ve had from Energize has been outstanding, as has that of big Stewie Cowan who has coached and helped a lot."

Meanwhile, Amey is tipping talented Gracie to become a world champion one day.

The Colchester-based powerlifting, who attends Manningtree High School, is being coached by Amey and is striving to become world champion next year.

He said: “Gracie is amazing.

“I lift equipped with power suits and I’ve trained Gracie to actually use the equipment as well and she is phenomenal.

“She will be world champion.

“I went to Energize gym back in 2020 and started training there with my sons.

“She was training there because she was doing kick boxing at the time and I got her into the powerlifting and now she’s phenomenal.”

Grace and Mick have set up a GoFundMe page, as they bid to reach the World Championships.

Amey added: “Grace is going to be doing a lot of competitions and she’s going to need help wherever she can.”

To pledge your support, visit their GoFundMe page here