A mental health nurse at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has won a gold medal for weightlifting at a major international competition.
Cyrille Tchatchet II won gold at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship in Delhi, India, last week.
The 27-year-old scooped his first gold medal for England in the men’s 96kg category after lifting 155kg in the snatch and 192kg in the clean and jerk.
Cyrille, who works as a community psychiatric nurse in Sandwell, said: “It’s always a good feeling, I’m proud and happy and it motivates me to carry on with the sport that I love.”
The victory was even sweeter for Cyrille as it comes a year after he missed a potential silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham after he suffered serious cramping, an experience he described as “devastating”.
Cyrille, who lives in Walsall, bounced back to clinch the gold medal in Delhi, which is his first gold in a senior international competition.
He now has his sights set on the World Championships in Saudi Arabia in September, which is one of the qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Cyrille is no stranger to the Olympics having competed for the Refugee Olympic Team in Tokyo in 2020, where he finished 10th and his goal is now to compete for Team GB at the Olympics.
Now back in the Black Country after his international sporting success, Cyrille has been cheered on by his NHS colleagues at Quayside House in Oldbury.
Cyrille added: “My colleagues have been congratulating me and were very happy for me, especially after what happened in Birmingham as they could see how important it was for me.”
Cyrille has been weightlifting since he was 14-year-old after being inspired by his cousin’s father who represented Cameroon in weightlifting.
He explained: “It was random, I saw a photo of him at my cousin’s house and thought it looked cool so I told my mum I wanted to do this sport, so I started lessons a week later.”
Cyrille has not looked back and is now a four-time British champion and gold medal winner, all while helping vulnerable patients in the Black Country live happier and more independent lives.