Young Rugbeian who is officially UK's strongest teenager seeks sponsorship as strongman career takes off

A young strongman from Rugby who started out by lifting weights in a garage with his father is looking for sponsorship and support as his pursuit goes from strength to strength.

19-year-old Joe Oliver recently won the title of UK's strongest teen but he originally started lifting weights as a way to boost his performance in rugby.

He said: “I played rugby and you could say I wasn’t the biggest guy there.

“My dad had been lifting weights for years so I joined in with him in the garage.”

Joe found he enjoyed weight lifting and, as a few rugby injuries began to take a toll, he decided to focus on the weights.

But the closure of gyms that lockdown brought, and the limited equipment in the garage, meant Joe had to be inventive.

He and friend began training outdoors, using whatever they could come across – including a tractor tyre.

Joe then entered a strongman competition in Northampton.

“Because all the gyms were closed, I hadn’t been able to train properly for it. I was also the youngest there by seven years,” he said.

But he came second overall, and has gone on to more successes in competitions.

The sport is immensely taxing, and Joe explained that the eating is the least enjoyable part.

He said: “I’m having to eat between 7,000 and 7,500 calories a day and I’m trying to kept it as healthy as possible.

“But when you’re trying to eat this much every day, you do sometimes have get a cheesecake.”

Now, having won UK's Strongest Teen, and with plans to enter an array of national and international competitions in the near future, Joe is seeking sponsorship or support.

He said: “It could be something like a local butcher wanting to help with food, or a nutrition brand helping with kit. Anything really.

"One competitor is even sponsored by a construction company.”

If you are interested in sponsoring Joe, email [email protected]