Navy Leaders Champion Wesley McGuinness: Good things come to those who (lift) weight!

He’s a Commonwealth gold medallist, a Royal Navy submariner and now our inaugural Navy Leaders Champion to boot. But for a man who’s spent an appreciable portion of his life at sea, Wesley McGuinness comes across as a remarkably grounded individual.

The 35-year-old father of two serves as a catering services Petty Officer on HMS Talent, a decommissioned nuclear sub docked in Plymouth. And when he’s not managing his team of chefs keeping hungry submariners fed and watered, family life keeps him busy too.

Wife Harriet and daughters Neive, 10, and Orlah, 8, take up any spare time not consumed by training or competing. Wesley said: “It's also a great time for me to be at home and spend some time with them, because they [his daughters] are massively into their gymnastics at the moment. So I'm very fortunate to be alongside and witness all their shows and competitions.”

A Navy man all his working life, the Sunderland-born strongman joined up in April 2008. But it wasn’t until a few years later that he stumbled across the talent that would one day turn him into a champion.

He explained: “I took an interest in powerlifting at the early stages of my naval career in 2012... Basically, I was in the gym: I've always kept myself fit and active.

“But I saw a poster at HMS Drake's gym for the Royal Navy Powerlifting Championships. And I thought, well, I'll try my one rep max on the squat bench in deadlift. I entered it, and long story short, I ended up winning it, through just brute strength.

“I won my first little trophy, and on the train back from Portsmouth that evening, I thought, ‘Well, I'm not so bad at this.’ So I started looking into periodization and nutrition and programming and how to actually get strong instead of just cuffing it, and I took it from there. And with patience and allying our naval core values, I’ve got better and better.”

That’s a typically modest assessment of his talents: even before his recent Sun City triumph Wesley had scooped Commonwealth Championship silver and bronze medals in 2017 and 2022, as well as a host of other trophies.

But the third time at the Commonwealths proved a charm for Wesley in South Africa in October 2024: he triumphed in the 105kg category of the bench press discipline.

The way powerlifting contests are set up turns the process into a kind of cat-and-mouse tactical battle as well as a test of brute strength: each competitor gets three attempts at a lift, and having selected a starting weight, you can only stay the same or go heavier, not lighter.

The winner is determined by not just whoever is deemed by the judges to have successfully lifted the heaviest weight: a formula is then applied taking into account each competitor’s exact body weight too: it’s the lifter with the best ratio who triumphs.

Wesley remembered: “I opened up with 182.5kg, and then I went 187.5kg, and then my plan was to go to 200kg, but we worked out we didn't need to, so we didn't want to risk anything: we went to 192.5kg for the third attempt. We just did just enough just to take the win.”

And how did it feel when he successfully made the winning lift and knew he’d secured gold? A sense of overwhelming elation and satisfaction, of accomplishment? Not so much…

"It was such a relief,” Wesley said. “Honestly, it was just a great feeling. I knew I’d put in a lot of work, and I knew that winning was within reach if everything came together on the day.

“In powerlifting, the effort you put in typically shows in your results, as long as nothing goes wrong at the competition. It’s different from something like boxing, where a single misstep or one wrong move can change everything, no matter how hard you’ve trained. But in powerlifting, if you’ve really trained hard enough, the results will show when it counts.

“For example, if someone opens with a 300kg deadlift, I can’t just decide to go for 350kg — it would be out of reach for me. But if you’ve done the work, you should be able to see the payoff.”

And if you’re wondering to whom the “we” in the above comments refers, that would be Wesley’s trainer, close friend and confidant, Chief Petty Officer Paul “Jakey” Foran.

Wesley explained: “He's been by my side for the last 16 years. When I was learning to become a submariner, he was one of the senior instructors guiding me.

“We’ve always had a strong connection, largely because my father passed away when I was 19 and working on my submarine qualification. He was there for me during that difficult time, offering constant support. Fast-forward 16 years, and our bond has only deepened and strengthened.

“He’s supported me at local competitions, helped me get into the right mindset, and learned a great deal about powerlifting along the way. Over time, he’s grown into the sport and now serves as an official coach for Team GB, a Commonwealth coach, and an IPF Masters coach. He’s progressed alongside me.”

Wesley admitted being able to share that golden moment of ultimate success with him after such a long time felt even more special.

“He trains with me almost every day at HMNB Devonport. He sees the work, the hours, and the dedication we put into this. Right before I step onto the platform, he always tells me, ‘Wes, we’ve put in the work — just go out there and do it.”

Wesley’s journey has had strong support from more than just his trainer. The Royal Navy has also stood firmly behind him, providing invaluable backing. He reflected: “The Royal Navy has been great. Early on, when I was competing in divisional and smaller events, I managed to balance it around my job and family life commitments.

‘As I progressed, I found ways to make it work. But it wasn’t until I competed in my first World IPF Championship that I truly saw the potential. When I returned, I was encouraged by the Head of RN Sport to enroll onto the Royal Navy’s Elite Athlete Scheme.

‘In the Royal Navy, if you’re competing at a high level, you can apply to be temporarily reassigned from your core duties to focus on your sport full-time. I was fortunate to have that opportunity, and I requested a 24-month period to see what I could achieve.’

“This application received approval from both 1-star and 2-star officers, including Rear Admiral Jude Terry OBE, Director of People and Training, to whom I owe a great deal of gratitude.

“The opportunity to dedicate 24 months to full-time powerlifting has not only allowed me to compete internationally but has also enabled me to elevate the visibility of powerlifting and Royal Navy sports, highlighting the many benefits they offer to our service personnel. It has been incredibly rewarding to share my experiences and insights with the next generation of lifters within the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

“I’m now privileged to have this opportunity to be directed into assignment roles that allow me to continue my commitment to the submarine service, while also supporting my ongoing dedication to powerlifting and the Royal Navy Sports community.

“The Royal Navy has been a huge support in my journey.”

And the Royal Navy’s backing proved especially invaluable during Wesley’s moment of greatest powerlifting adversity too: when he suffered a potentially career-ending injury.

Wesley explained: “In any sport, injuries are inevitable, and you work hard to maintain your physical condition. But sometimes, things happen which are out of your control. I have learnt, it is not the situation that defines you, it's how you react to it that does.

“My major setback occurred during the 2022 Commonwealth Championships in Auckland, New Zealand. I was competing at my peak strength, but on my second-to-last deadlift attempt, I suffered a complete tear of my right distal bicep. That was the end of the competition for me.

“In that moment, I genuinely thought my powerlifting career was over, and I even feared for my career in the Royal Navy. It was a serious injury.”

Upon returning from New Zealand, a five-month recovery process loomed large. And timing was critical: within two weeks, scar tissue could have set in, limiting the full function of his arm.

But he explained: “Fortunately, I was able to get to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where I met an ex-Navy commander and surgeon who scheduled my surgery for the following Monday to reattach the bicep.

“From there, I had to retrain my arm entirely. I lost all sensation and had to relearn basic movements — gripping, supinating, extending. It was a long, challenging road, but in conversations with my coach, we began to see this as an opportunity.

“This experience became a message for other lifters, both in the service and beyond. Setbacks happen, but with the right mindset, a strong support network, and a positive mental attitude, it’s possible to come back stronger than before.

“Fast-forward two years, and I am now stronger than I was when I went to New Zealand — both physically and mentally, across every discipline. The scar on my arm is a lasting reminder of what I’ve endured and overcome.

“It’s been a journey, no doubt, but one that has taught me a lot about my own resilience and capabilities. I always considered myself disciplined, but this experience has truly helped me turn the page to a new level of focus.”

And turning the pages of Wesley’s storied career to date tells quite the tale. Highlights include representing Team GB at two World IPF Bench Press Championships, two European IPF Championships and three IPF Commonwealth Championships and Bench Press Championships.

He also flew the flag for Team GB at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival in Barcelona in 2019 when “The Terminator” himself was in the front row. And we shouldn’t sign off without recounting one more strange tale: how Wesley came to find himself pumping iron just about as far north as it’s possible to go.

He recounted: “So in 2018 I was serving on HMS Trenchant and we had  the remarkable opportunity to participate in ICEX18, a significant joint operation with the Americans. We travelled to the northernmost point where British submarines can break through the ice.

“After we’d successfully broken through, the atmosphere was lively, with everyone throwing snowballs and engaging in conversation with the American personnel present. At that time, I was the head chef and a leading hand on board.

“I realised, ‘Wesley, you may never have this chance again.’ We had some weights on board to maintain fitness, so as everyone lined up to exit through the main access hatch, I decided to bring the barbell and a few weights up with us.

“I instructed the team, ‘Boys, get that up there,’ and they responded, ‘What are you doing with it?’ I replied, ‘You’ll see.’ Once we were on the ice, the temperature plummeted to minus 37 degrees. At that point, you couldn’t be up there for more than 10 to 15 minutes without your fingers and nose starting to go numb.

“Even my iPhone wouldn’t last more than 10 minutes in those conditions while trying to record — it was that cold. So, I told them, ‘Boys, let me load up this barbell; I want to do some squats at the North Pole. Let’s record this.’

“While many thought I was crazy, that video ended up going viral on social media. People were inspired, sharing it with comments like, ‘What’s your excuse?’

“It was an incredible opportunity. I always encourage others that, no matter how outrageous an opportunity may seem at the time, seize it. Looking back, how many people can say they squatted at the North Pole?"

• Wesley is always keen to hear from companies or individuals keen to support him with his powerlifting career. To make contact, email him at w.mcguinness@hotmail.co.uk