Weight Lifting

I went into Bolton town centre today fully expecting to take photos of rusty padlocks and chains or peeling paint but when I got to Victoria Square by the town hall I changed my mind when I saw what was going on.  

There was a weight lifting competition in full flow so I stopped for a nosey.  The competitors were timed lifting three separate weights and, who knew, but it seems like there are quite a number of rules governing such antics.  Competitors had to pause when the weight was at chin height and again when it was above their head.  It was also frowned upon if they just let the weights drop and bounce at the end of the lift; they were supposed to be a bit more delicate placing them back on the ground.  

I took a few shots of different competitors but I liked this one best.  Compared to some of the others he wasn't as well built but was just as strong.  His approach before doing the lift was quite different too; he seemed to get into a zone first and had a little routine of hand movements as well.  This image captures his focus and concentration just before he raised the first weights above his head.  

In the first extra I've included a shot of how the three weights were laid out ready for the competitors.  The people in the red t shirts appeared to be officials and the guy in the cream t shirt was the umpire/referee chap.

The second extra is one of the other competitors.