A powerlifting phenom from St Albans is crowdfunding for the trip of a lifetime after being called up to represent England at a major event in South Africa.

Isaak Nathan, 22, has been called up to the England squad for October's Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships.

He said: "From a young age, I have always been sporty.

"I played rugby at county level while I was at school, then was part of the London Broncos under 16 academy for rugby league.”

By day, he works as a personal trainer at Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre, where he began his powerlifting journey as a customer back in 2019.

In January 2020, he made his competitive debut and has since competed at a high national level, in English and British championships.

His call-up to the Commonwealth Championships squad would represent his international debut, but comes with a snag - the cost.

He explains: "The competition is fully self-funded.

"The main costs include flights, accommodation, transfers, official England team kit, anti-doping and participation fees."

In a bid to cover these expenses, the St Albans native has set up a GoFundMe in the hope of raising the £2,000 needed to make it to South Africa.

You can support Isaak by donating to the fundraiser at https://www.gofundme.com/f/sad6wp-commonwealth-powerlifting-championships-2024.

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He added: "It’s an absolute honour to be given the chance to represent my country at an international competition.

 "As well as the achievements, sports and training have been the best things I've ever done for my mental health.

"Despite a challenging upbringing, they’ve provided a crucial outlet, teaching me discipline, resilience, and motivation that I use in daily life.”

Lesley Garner, general manager at Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre, said: "Isaak's dedication is truly inspiring. He is a fantastic colleague and friend, and we encourage the local community to support his fundraising efforts as he prepares to represent our town and country on the international stage."