Former Diss schoolboy Thomas Knapp set to represent England at Commonwealth Powerlifting Federation Championships
Former Diss schoolboy Thomas Knapp stated he is ready to make his competitions’ lives ‘as hard as possible’ when he represents England at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Federation Championships in October.
In an interview with the Diss Express in June 2022, following his success at the British Junior Powerlifting Championships, Knapp was dreaming of appearing on the international stage. Those dreams will be fulfilled later this year.
The 25-year-old will don his country’s colours at the event in South Africa, after his performance at the English Championships in June which helped him qualify for the team.
Knapp, who played youth football for Scole United and Diss Town, achieved a second-placed finish at the qualifiers having recorded 767kg across his three lifts, but this did not automatically book his place in the squad.
The University of Sheffield graduate had to wait weeks to find out if he had made the team and was relieved when the news finally came.
“I was a little bit touch and go because all of the first-place people tend to be invited but when you come second, it depends on the head coach’s decision as to whether you’re one of the good enough second places to get invited,” he said.
“It was a big relief really, because when I went into the competition, I was expecting myself to come first. So when I came second, it was a little bit 50/50. But it was really nice when I got the invite.
“I live with and train with a lot of people who are in that powerlifting space, so they found out pretty quickly, but the first person I told was my mum, just because she is the most excited about the international aspect I suppose.”
As well as competing, Knapp, who began powerlifting in 2019, is also a coach. He went from training two of his friends from university in 2022 to now mentoring more than 50 clients.
But with the Championships commencing on October 6, Knapp will have to focus on himself a lot by scheduling his training around the competition.
“Over the next couple of weeks, I will start make sure that I am hitting my heavy sessions in the middle of the week and progressing into something that will resemble a competition every week,” said Knapp.
“I’m a little over 10 weeks out at the moment, so the entire goal is keeping my body in one piece while being able to handle some heavy stuff so that I know where I’ll be at the day.
“I do know there is one person (competing in South Africa) who is already in the 800kg (mark) who has signed up.
“I think he has only hit it once. I think he has been a bit up and down so I definitely wouldn’t say he’s unbeatable, but I would say (I am targetting) at least second (place) looking at the nominations so far. I think I will definitely try and make his life as hard as possible to win the competition.
“As long as I can put something in those high 700s (kgs) and maybe give myself a chance to deadlift last, then I might have that chance to pull for the win.”