George NEWTON

George Newton was born in then British colony of British Guiana (now independent as Guyana) but after qualifying as an electrician he joined the mass migration from the Caribbean to Britain that followed the Second World War. He joined the Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club in London and soon set out on an international career that lasted for two decades. Newton never reached the medal podium at the World or European Championships but he was conspicuously successful at the Commonwealth Games. He won gold for England in 1962, 1970 and 1974 and silver in 1966. The 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch in New Zealand proved a major turning point in his life as he met and fell in love with the woman he was to marry after leaving London for New Zealand on New Year’s Day 1975. By then a veteran of 42 he made a final Commonwealth Games in the black singlet for his new country of residence at the 1978 version in Edmonton, Canada although this time he came home without a medal after failing to record a valid lift. He retired from competitive lifting shortly afterwards but stayed connected to the sport by coaching. One of his charges, Lee Attrill, went on to follow Newton and compete at the Commonwealth Games. Newton also competed in powerlifting, where he would also help to coach 5-times World Champion Cathy Millen, and in bodybuilding.