Gosport’s powerlifting world champion Ray Bowring creates American University history by winning scholarship

Both with world honours in their possession, the story of Bridgemary-based Dean and Ray Bowring's success in the sport stands alone.

Father Dean, 46, swept the board during a glittering career of triumphs in various international competitions.

The pinnacle for him came in 2009 when he was crowned world open champion in New Delhi, which sits nicely with his two-time European, Commonwealth and 22 - yes, 22! - British Open honours.

You'd have thought there would have been no room left in the family trophy cabinet with all that silverware.

But in recent years they've had to find some extra space with son Ray making his mark on the sub-junior scene.

He got the thirst for powerlifting glory from Dean, who is his coach - the pair train out of Fitness24 Gym in Gosport.

Ray currently holds the under-18 world title - where he set a new world record 370kg squat lift at that age level - to go with numerous other podium medals.

Now the younger Bowring is set to embark on his next step in the sport after becoming the first non-US citizen to win a place on a powerlifting scholarship in the States.

And he is determined to take the unique chance awarded to him at Midland University, Nebraska, with both hands.

Ray, 18, said: ‘The main objective for every powerlifter is winning a world title which I managed to check off four years into my career.

‘My main goal now is to wipe out the juniors, which is the age category above, which I’m now in.

‘To win a world title there as well is my next goal.

‘I’m really looking forward to Midland University.

‘Mike (Zawilinski) has been coaching the American Open team for a while now.

‘He recently got a job at Midland University and he got told when he started to scout some people for a new scholarship.

‘I was the first person he messaged because he started following me on social media.

‘He told me he’d recently got the job, needed to look for some new people and I was the first person he thought of.

‘I’m also the first person to be given the first scholarship they’re offering, ever.

‘In America powerlifting is such a massive sport, they see it so much more.

‘It’s amazing, really.

‘I just want to grab it at full force and try to run with it.'

Powerlifting is one of 14 sports that Midland University offer to males - bowling, lacrosse and wrestling are among the others. Fifteen sports are also available to females, including flag football, while there is also an eSports course.

Powerlifting was first introduced at Midland in 2016, and three years later they won the Men’s and Women’s National Championships at theUSA Collegiate Nationals. The Men’s team had previously won in 2018.

Despite Dean's glittering success in the sport, he actually feels powerlifting has been a 'hindrance' on his life.

By his own admission, it's been an 'obsession' for him since getting into it nearly 30 years ago with very little financial reward.

But he believes, slowly, times are changing and is delighted to see his son afforded what could be a 'life-changing' opportunity through the sport they love.

‘Although I love powerlifting, I’d say it’s probably been a hindrance on my life,' Dean confessed.

‘It’s an obsession and you don’t earn any money from it. Everything in my life has revolved around powerlifting.

‘It didn’t bother me if he (Ray) didn’t do powerlifting, but he was always interested.

'From my point of view now, powerlifting has changed so much around the world; if you look at it, powerlifting has given Ray an opportunity that could be life-changing.

'It could make him as a person and his future because he’s been given this immense opportunity to study in America.

'He wouldn’t have been going to university in this country, but he’s now going to university in America and they’ve said he can do whatever course he wants to do.'

Former Bridgemary School pupil Ray will conclude his studies at Fareham College before heading to Fremnont - over 4,200 miles away from his Hampshire home - in August.

There, at Midland University, he will mix learning - a strength and conditioning course - with powerlifting for four years.

Dean admitted it will be difficult to wave goodbye to his son while also relinquishing coaching duties.

‘I’ll be in a position where if it’s not going well, I won’t be there to fix it,' he said.

‘It’s going to be tough for me when he goes away because I’m then relinquishing coaching over there.

'I’m lucky I’ve got quite a lot of other athletes so they’ll be there to try to take my attention.

‘It’s difficult. You get the odd thing crop up on your phone which reminds you of what you were doing five or 10 years ago and I see little videos of Ray when he used to come to the gym with me lifting weights as a seven or eight year old.'

Ray is hoping his move to America can help develop him even further with a packed calendar towards the back end of the year.

Powerlifting competition was decimated last year because of the pandemic, but Ray has plans to be involved in European, British and world events in a busy second half of 2021.