AN Oswestry athlete is on top of the world after breaking a global record.

Sam Martin broke the existing Atlas Stone lifting record at an event in Ruabon when he became the first 80kg weight class competitor to break the 400lb barrier.

Sam said the world record-breaking lift had officially marked his arrival in the world of strongman competitions.

He said: "The world record was held in Ruabon at he Spartan Training Centre, so very local for a change.

"The world number one Atlas Stone manufacturer is based there.

"Once I'd broke the record I feel it really cemented me in the strongman scene as I've been flooded with more messages in two days than I have in the rest of my strongman career."

Sam has been busy in the last few months and also represented Great Britain in Cardiff.

The Oswestry athlete helped form a squad of eight which took on Ireland and Finland with the British ending triumphant.

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"It was a real honour to compete as a team for GB," said Sam. "Normally everything I do is individual but it was fun competing along side fellow athletes."

It has been a busy year for the strongman with the 32 year old winning his weight division at the World Heavy Events Association (WHEA) held in Ireland to be crowned 85kg weight class champion in August.

His rise through the ranks and success is a just reward for years of commitment and investment.

Martin added: "I don't have a coach or sponsors, I just train myself with my own equipment. I've converted an old shipping container into a home gym."

Martin's success is also reward having gone so close to major titles in the past few years having ended second in England's Strongest Man in 2020 and 2021 and runner up in Britain's Strongest Man in 2021.