Kettering teacher bidding to become world powerlifting champion

A Kettering teacher will be hoping he's top of his class when he bids to become a world powerlifting champion later this year.

Stephen Fraher, who is assistant principal at Kettering Buccleuch Academy in Weekley Glebe Road, will be flying out to Portgual in November to compete in the WPC World Championships.

The PE teacher made headlines in 2019 when he was victorious at a strongest man event in Birmingham, flipping a 425kg tyre and completing 120kg stone lifts.

And now he's going for gold on the world stage when he represents Great Britain at the championships in Trofa, just north of Porto, which take place between November 15 and 21.

He said: "This year has been the accumulation of five years of hard graft.

"I have one more competition this year, which will be the WPC World Championships in Trofa, Portugal, in November.

"Weight training has been an important part of my life for the past few years, alongside playing rugby which has been with me since I was 11-years-old.

"Both sports carry so many benefits in terms of both physical and mental wellbeing."

Since winning the Birmingham event in 2019 Mr Fraher has competed in several events, coming 8th in Britain's Strongest Man this year in the <120kg category.

And he also took home the title at the BPU British Powerlifting Championships 2021 (<125kg) and WPC European Powerlifting Championships 2021 (<125kg).

He added: "I hope that as I continue on my journey I can help to educate and inspire the students of Kettering Buccleuch Academy to pursue their own physical goals in the future."

Cllr Anne Lee (Lab), who represents the Windmill ward on North Northamptonshire Council, visited Mr Fraher at the school's new gym last week.

She said: "What an inspiration for the pupils in Kettering Buccleuch Academy.

"We are looking at the levelling up agenda in Avondale Grange - celebrating the champions and role models in the area is a great start.

"Reaching that level of strength takes a lot of hard work. The fact that Stephen combines it with a challenging job in education is even more impressive.

"It has certainly inspired me to make more active use of my own gym membership. Exercise releases endorphins and makes you feel and look better."