Andy Griffiths, a 33-year-old alumnus of the University of Cumbria, achieved a remarkable bronze medal in the men's +110kg weightlifting event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Griffiths, who studied Primary Education at the university's Lancaster campus from 2011 to 2015, described the achievement as “incredible” and “surreal”, saying he “still can’t believe it”.
“It was the best feeling,” he said. “There were like 3,000 people watching. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”
This was Griffiths' second appearance for England at the Commonwealth Games, following his debut in Birmingham four years prior. He had set that goal back in 2016, near the beginning of his rise in the sport.
From University Gym to Global Stage
Long before his success in Glasgow, Griffiths trained at the Bowerham Road campus gym, where he also captained the university's basketball team. His training involved squats and deadlifts to improve his court performance.
“We weren’t the best team in the world, but we had a lot of fun,” Griffiths said. “I was in the gym squatting to try to get better at those movements and jump higher.”
His journey into weightlifting began when he saw a teammate perform a snatch and asked how to do it. He picked it up quickly and progressed rapidly. “The progress was mad - I just skyrocketed once I started training properly,” he said.
Teaching Skills Boost Business Success
Griffiths worked as a supply teacher to fit around his weightlifting schedule before opening his own gym, AMG Lifting Lab, in Warrington in 2018. He credits his BA (Hons) Primary Education degree for helping his business thrive, particularly through youth coaching.
“It was a big selling point to parents,” he said. “Having that teaching side of things really helped. That’s one of the things that set me apart.”
He added: “When you’re a teacher, you know how to have a laugh but know where the line is. That’s one of the main things I’ve taken from university into my life now.”
Griffiths now runs one of the most successful youth weightlifting squads in the country. He noted that the university's PE curriculum and tutors influenced his coaching approach: “A lot of it was around making PE fun and that’s what I started doing with the gym.”
Future Ambitions and University Pride
Looking ahead, Griffiths aims to win a European medal within the next three or four years and return to the Commonwealth Games in 2030 at age 37. “It’s very rare you get to go at that age, so that would be amazing,” he said. He also mentioned a possible Olympic qualification, though it requires being in the top eight worldwide.
Dr Ruth Harrison-Palmer, Dean of the Institute of Education, Arts and Society at the University of Cumbria, congratulated Griffiths, saying: “Winning a medal at the Commonwealth Games is a remarkable feat. Everyone at the university would like to congratulate Andy on his superb achievement.”
