James Wales

James is currently ranked fifth on the IWF Commonwealth Ranking List for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and won a bronze medal at the 2026 British Championships. He represented Wales at the 2025 Commonwealth Championships in Ahmedabad, India, and is the current Welsh men’s 110kg+ lifting record holder, with a 150kg snatch, a 190kg clean and jerk, and a 340kg total. He also finished second in the 2025 Welsh men’s rankings.
James is a serving Royal Navy commissioned officer with six years of service. Much of his Naval career has been spent within the Submarine Service, balancing the demands of military life with high-performance sport. Having first discovered Weightlifting while playing rugby, James initially used it to develop strength and power for the pitch before becoming increasingly drawn to weightlifting. What began as supplementary training quickly developed into competitive weightlifting, leading to rapid progression through domestic and international competition.
Social media handle: @jameswales39