'TAKE That' was the message from two new British Unequipped Bench Press champs - one of them winning with a national record.
This was despite their preparations being hit by a concert by the re-formed boy band!
Martin Flett, like the group's Gary Barlow is from Frodsham, had, along with Runcorn pair Joey Guatella and Ian Sergeant, planned on an overnight stay before the Milton Keynes competition.
But all hotels were fully booked due to the comeback gig and this meant the trio leaving home at 6am on competition day to make the weigh-in.
The disruption this caused did not affect them too badly as Guatella, 21, won the Under 23s' 100kg class in his first attempt at national competition while Flett, 50, took the honours at the same weight division but for Masters 2 (over 50s) lifters.
Sergeant, 49, meanwhile defied his novice status to finish a creditable fourth in a highly-competitive 100kg class at Masters One (Over 40s). Flett said: 'We all felt we could have lifted more and that the early start, followed by a four-hour wait before lifting was not ideal preparation.
'But we all came away pleased with our overall performance and in Joey and Ian's case that they had qualified for the national championships and put in good performances.'
Flett added: 'I decided to try for the British record with my third lift and put 157.5kg on the bar - nailing the lift so easily I immediately wished I had gone for the magic 160. There's always next time.'
