POWERLIFTER Mick Ellender returned from the World Masters Championship in Ostrava earlier this month the proud owner of a gold medal.

And Mick, 63, achieved his success despite concerns over his wife Pauline, who was seriously ill at home, which forced him to delay his journey to the Czech Republic until the day before the event.

Mick said; “It was a very emotional time, but Pauline was absolutely insistent I went. She had been described as critical twice, so I didn’t arrive until midnight and weighed in at lunchtime the following day.”

Mick’s story is even more remarkable because his success came after he was given the go-ahead to compete again following a heart attack. Since then he has won the British title, and claimed three silvers in the European Masters.

His total lift at the worlds was 620kg including a 205kg squat, 152kg benchpress and a 262.5 dead lift to finish ahead of Emmanuel M Bongue of France and William Rice of the United States, the former world record dead lift holder.