Bench press champion back training after surgery

A Somerset weightlifter is back in training just months after he underwent life-saving cancer surgery.

Ram Patten, from Frome, lifted 200kg at the 2024 British Classic Bench Press Championships, winning the event in March at the age of 44.

Soon after he found out that he had cancer in his intestines and he had surgery to treat the condition in September.

"My body is trying to get to grips with a new way of living," he said.

Mr Patten, a former Royal Marine, started to compete in 2023 as a way to manage his PTSD symptoms.

His cancer was discovered when he took part in a charity testing initiative.

In September, he underwent surgery to remove his bowel.

"It's unfathomable for me," he said. "I didn't think I would be back in the gym this fast.

"The difficult part is the psychology that comes with that. I had to make sense of mortality, then gratitude of being alive.

"There's an element of survivor guilt, I did think 'why me?'. I am grateful but I wish others could have that experience," he added.

Mr Patten is now encouraging other users of his gym to get checked for the disease.

"Here in the gym alone, a few guys went and had their blood tests done to see if they were OK," he said.

Now his thoughts are on regaining his fitness - and retaining his title - at the UK Championships in February.

"I had six weeks out of the gym after my surgery which, for a weightlifter, was excruciating," he said.

"But I followed it to the letter and afterwards my muscle memory kicked in straightaway."

Mr Patten will compete in the 2025 Championships in Cardiff on 15 February.

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