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Olympic strongman who lifted 125 tons a week: Now Frank's backing Join Our Club campaign
HE is Calderdale's only living Olympian, was recently labelled Ireland's greatest-ever weightlifter and, perhaps most impressively, still pumps iron every day despite turning 73 this year.
Now Frank Rothwell – a man-mountain who at his peak was ranked the 11th strongest person in his weight class in the world – has backed the Courier's Join Our Club campaign.
The retired engineer, who lifted an average of 125 tons a week when he competed in the 1972 Munich Olympics, said: "Staying fit should be a priority no matter how old you are.
"I may be 72 but I feel fit and healthy and I like to keep my muscles toned."
Mr Rothwell, of Wainscott Close, Wadsworth, Hebden Bridge, first begun lifting weights when he was just 16 and has not stopped since.
During a 12-year period between 1960 and 1972, he was crowned Ireland national champion eight times, Yorkshire and the north east champion 12 times, competed at the world championships in Berlin, the European championships in Romania and finally at the Munich Games.
The grandad, originally from Clonmel in County Tipperary but moved to Hebden Bridge in 1957, said: "There's no experience like being an Olympian, that's something no amount of money can buy.
"I'd worked hard – training in my kitchen for 20 hours a week while working full-time 60 hours – but it was worth every moment.
"I remember the opening ceremony the most – just walking out in front of 110,000 people, it makes your heart jump out of your chest."
The games were made all the sweeter after missing out on the previous Olympics at the qualifying stage in Dublin. He was just 5kg off.
He said: "I thought about retiring then. I was 32 and I thought I'd missed out but I was determined to carry on and now I'm so glad I did."
But the games were soured when Arab terrorists killed 11 Israeli athletes – including a weightlifter who Frank had become friendly with.
He said: "Of course that spoiled everything, the sport became secondary then but just being an Olympian is something that can never be taken from me."
After competing at Munich at the age of 36 he retired from serious competition and began coaching youngsters around Calderdale.
He continues to work out every day.
He said: "I do curls and presses with 30lb dumb-bells just to keep the muscle definition but it's more about staying healthy these days. I also do mobility exercises every day, eat healthily and try and walk for 30 minutes a day. I've never felt better to be honest."
Tell us about how you plan to be healthy on the Join Our Club community section.
Once registered as a member, you can blog, post videos, audio and pictures, as well as take part in forum discussions.
We want to hear what you have been doing to get fit and healthy.
Everyone can get involved by posting healthy recipes, videos, your sports club's latest activities or pictures from your weekend walk.
Dozens of people have already joined, including sports clubs, gyms and health experts.
Visit the Join Our Club Community
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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