THERE was an awesome show of strength from Salisbury's legendary powerlifters at the weekend in Bournemouth when five of them turned in a performance to remember at the British Championships.

Lee Steggles, Phil Randall and Neil Arnold all left the BIC'S Tregonwell Hall with British titles to their name, while Paul Newell picked up his first top three finish at a major championship and Brendan Jeynes registered a personal best total to take fourth place.

Steggles, a runner-up at last year's World Champion-ships, was in blistering form and as well as being named best female lifter at the event, learned she had been accepted into the prestigious powerlifting hall of fame.

The remarkable 41-year-old athlete smashed British and European records en route to landing the women's 67.5kg open class with a personal best total of 500kg.

"That was my target for the day. I wanted to hit 500kg, but I was so nervous beforehand," explained the British number one, who only a few days earlier, had discovered she was about to become a grandmother.

Steggles' 205kg squat set a new British and European record. She then bench pressed 110kg before reaching her target with a 185kg dead lift.

Neil Arnold's triumph in the 82.5kg open category was long overdue.The 38-year-old has represented his country at Euro-pean and World Champion-ship events many times during his 19 years in the sport, but had never previously held a British title.

"I just can't believe it," Arnold told Journal Sport moments after his success."I've finished second three times and third four times, but I've never won the British.

"I've been to the European Championships and World Championships as a number two, but never as the British number one lifter in my class.

"It's just unbelievable."Ironically, Arnold only decided to enter the championships at the last moment after recovering from an ankle injury.

"I'm still not fully fit and I was so close to not lifting today," Arnold revealed. "I damaged ankle ligaments and tendons and could hardly walk just a couple of weeks ago. But I'd been training with Paul and as the closing date for entries got closer he said that I should still enter as I'd be kicking myself if I got fit in time and hadn't registered to lift at Bournemouth.

Arnold's battle with Welsh lifter Ian Humphries was one of the many highlights on the opening day of the championships.

Trailing by 10kg after Humphries had posted a 275kg squat, Arnold then opened up a slender lead following a 175kg bench press which he nailed in some style at the second attempt.

Humphries failed to improve on his opening press of 150kg and was then under pressure to outmanoeuvre Arnold in the dead lift.

Arnold pulled 225kg, but Humphries closed the gap with a comfortable-looking 230kg. However, The Salisbury competitor hit back with a 232.5kg lift which put even more pressure on the Welsh lifter who failed to add to his tally.

Arnold later announced his retirement from competitive powerlifting: "All I ever wanted was to be British champion. It took me 19 years, but I've achieved my ambition now."

Earlier in the day, former world champion Phil Randall was in cruise mode in the 67.5kg open class.A 210kg squat, a 140kg bench press and a 220kg dead lift was enough to secure his tenth British title.

In spite of Saturday evening's celebrations, the Salisbury trio were back at the venue the next day to support fellow citizens Paul Newell and Brendan Jeynes.

Jeynes, competing in a tough 100kg class, closed in fourth place after a personal best total of 775kg. "I was pleased with my performance," said Jeynes. "Everything seemed to go right and I was pleased to hit personal bests."

Newell went one better, claiming third in the 90kg class with a personal best total of 732.5kg, but had hoped to finish even higher.

"I was leading after the squat but I lost a bit of ground with my bench press. I'm still happy with things, but I know there's more to come."

Among the crowd cheering on the Salisbury quartet at Bournemouth was 13-time world champion Bill West who had arrived back in the country just hours earlier following his marriage to Fiona Scott in Jamaica.

West, who remains an inspiration to a generation of lifters in the sport, said: "They all did absolutely brilliantly"I think every single one of them recorded a personal best during the weekend.

"It just goes to show that all the work they have been putting in in training has really paid off."I am really proud of them. They're a great team and I know they are all very proud of each other."