George takes on the world

Published 30 Sep 2009 14:00

INVERCLYDE weightlifter George Byng will take part in the world's biggest sports event.

Held in Sydney, Australia, from 10-18 October, the World Masters Games will host 28,500 competitors in 27 sports.

Among those will be five weightlifters from Scotland, including George of Inverclyde Ironmasters Club, who will compete in the 77 kilo class in the 70-74 age group.

George has taken part in five World Masters Championships in his long career, with a top place of siler medal in Kephalonia, Greece, in 2001, where his clubmate Jim Hurrell took a bronze medal in the 94kg class.

He will be up against tough opposition from John Lombardo, US national champion, Masaki Maekawa, Japanese champion, Karl-Heinz Jakob, Germany, Jesus Arenas of Venezuela, Pan-American champion and Alex Hart, British 77kg champ.

The other Scottish lifters are John McNiven, Jim Ferguson, Colin Hannah and Jean McConville, who all face stiff competition in their weight and age groups.

George, who lived in Sydney with his family from 1981 to 1988, will be meeting up with relatives who live there, catching up with some old friends and says he might have a beer or three at a typical Aussie barbie.

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