A DETERMINED athlete born and raised in Dovercourt has been crowned Wales’ strongest man.

Ben Brunning, 28, powered his way through the two-day finals where he had to lift dead weights, heavy round stones and sandbags.

Competing in the over 16-and-a-half stone category, Ben came on top against 14 competitors in the event held last weekend in Cardiff.

He had to take part in a series of physical challenges from running 15 metres with two 100kg sandbags, to dead lifting weights up to 400kg.

Ben, who grew up in Dovercourt, moved to Wales ten years ago and now lives in Stryd Fawr, Bala, Gwynedd.

He said: “I was over the moon to win Wales’ Strongest Man and worked really hard to come first.”

“Five years ago I came in at fifth place and I have gradually worked my way up.”

To get into prime shape Ben, trains three times a week for competitions and twice a week in the gym.

When he is not training for events he works as an outdoor instructor for Get Wet Adventures taking clients white-water rafting and rope climbing.

Ben will now compete in the UK’s Strongest Man competition in Belfast in August.

“Now I have to train even harder for the UK’s Strongest Man competition”, he said.

For the three day event Ben will have to fight to get in the final eight men and out strengthen strongmen heavyweights like world-record breaker Eddie Hall known for being the only man to deadlift 500kg under strongman rules.

Ben said: “It’s definitely a little daunting to be competing with these guys as it is how they make a living, so clearly they want to keep their titles.

“It’s a massive opportunity for me to go against them and I hope that I do well and don’t get anything wrong.”