SEVERAL members of a Clydebank weightlifting club are set to compete at a national competition for the first time.

Glasgow City Barbell Club, based in Yoker, is sending seven athletes to the British Age Group Championships next month in Leeds.

The group started in 2011 and was launched by John McEwan, who serves as the head coach.

The 58-year-old previously competed for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games and now uses his experience to mentor the next generation of weightlifters.

And he opened up on the scale of the upcoming competition.

"For a lot of our young lifters, it will be the first time they have attended an event of this magnitude," he said.

"They have been involved in other competitions before but nothing of this scale.

"It is the culmination of lots of hard work as the younger group trains twice a week and the older competitors train four times a week.

"This competition is split into four categories, Development Age, Youth, Junior and U23.

"We will have athletes in all of these groups."

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The event takes place on October 19 and 20, with over 250 competitors taking part.

The younger lifters will compete on Saturday while the older group is on the Sunday.

John also opened up on the pathway that the club provides.

"The youngsters join the club and begin training straight away," he continued.

"We work with them until we think they are ready to start competing and they then take part in a Scottish competition called the Development Cup.

"That gets them started on the pathway which takes them through to being a senior lifter.

"The British Age Group is the most high-profile competition they can enter.

"It will be a slightly different format from what they are used to but it will help them move onto the next level as they will now be judged on the amount of weight they lift as well as their technique.

"I am so proud of all the competitors.

"The feedback has been really positive from everyone."