Fifteen-Year-Old Crowned Britain’s Top Young Strongman After Ten Weeks in Sport

Keenan Pearson, a 15-year-old schoolboy, expressed his “speechless and shocked” reaction to being named Britain’s leading young strongman. This achievement came despite him having engaged in the sport for only 10 weeks. Pearson secured the title of British Under-17 Strongman Champion by overcoming competitors up to two years his senior. The victory occurred in Preston, Lancashire, on Sunday, even though Pearson admitted to “fearing” he would place last prior to the competition. The young athlete, who hails from Flimby, west Cumbria, attributed his journey to success to an unexpected encounter with local Rugby League player Ben Harrison. At the finals held at Kaos Gym, Pearson triumphed over 14 other participants. He achieved a score of 63 out of a possible 64, securing his win by a margin of five points over the 17-year-old who placed second. The strongman discipline requires contestants to lift various weights across five distinct categories. Points are awarded based on both the “cleanliness” of the lift and the total weight successfully raised. The teenager, who weighs 22 and a half stones (142kg), possesses the ability to deadlift up to 39.9 stones (254kg). Following his historic win as the first Cumbrian to claim the national title, Pearson shared his thoughts on BBC Radio Cumbria, stating: “I was speechless, I didn’t think I’d win something like this because I’m new to the sport.” He added, “I’ve only been lifting for 10 weeks, and I went to this competition and I’m just really shocked.” Pearson also acknowledged, “Obviously I couldn’t have done all of this without my one-to-one coaching with Adam Rumney at the Cumberland Strongman Academy.” The young strongman, a student at Netherhall secondary school in Maryport, has now set his sights on acquiring further titles. His upcoming schedule includes a charity event this month and the Cumberland Strongest Man competition in March. Additionally, he plans to participate in the Scotland Strongest Man championships next year. Mark Bailey, the deputy headteacher at Netherhall, conveyed the school’s sentiment, stating they are “incredibly proud” of Keenan. Bailey remarked: “When I caught up with him the first thing he said was how grateful he was for the support he gets from his mum and dad.” He further described Pearson as “a hugely impressive young man whose physical stature is matched by his character and commitment to all he undertakes.” For updates, follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.