Backing from two Hampshire businesses helped realise a teenager's dream to become a world champion Powerlifter.

When Chandlers Ford based chartered accountant HWB heard 15-year-old George Gordon was struggling to fund a trip to Finland to compete in the World Powerlifting Championships, they stepped in to help.

Teaming up with Southampton paint specialist KAR Contractors, they jointly paid for him to fly to Helsinki and take part in the competition, which saw George lift more than double his bodyweight to scoop gold and two British records.

In the juniors 75kg category George dead lifted an eye-popping 132.5kg in the dead lift, 125kg in the squat thrust and 47kg British record in the bench press, totaling 304.5k, itself a British record.  Alan Williams, director, said: "We like to back young talent to succeed at HWB and we are hugely proud to have been able to help such a special sportsman as George.

"Clearly he's an emerging talent and we will hear much more from him in the future."

Kevan Roberts, managing director of KAR, said: "It's good to be able to help and to encourage youngsters to go forward and achieve things at this level. I'm chuffed to bits for him."

George's dad Lee, himself a 10 times British Powerlifting champion, said: "We just couldn't have done this without HWB and KAR. I think it is fantastic that companies get involved like this. The sponsorship has allowed George to have an amazing experience and get gold for Britain."

George, who is now taking his GCSEs, said: "The sponsorship was amazing and really made the difference. It takes a lot of commitment to do these competitions and I want to say thank you to them because they believed in me and allowed me to prove I am good enough to be world champion."

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