Pure Gym has hosted a fitness competition dedicated solely to people aged over 50 years of age.

Believed to be the UK’s first ever such competition, the event was hosted in collaboration with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and is part of efforts to inspire more people to take up exercise later in life.

Stephen Rowe, Chief Marketing Officer at PureGym added: “We wanted to create an event that would celebrate those in their fifties and beyond who are already active and inspire those who are worried they are too old to get started.

"Watching everyone give it their all and seeing the competitors celebrate their wins, whether a PB of their own or a title in the competition, was fantastic to see."

The event was split in two halves, with the first being a test of all-out strength which saw entrants competing to lift the highest percentage of their bodyweight across three big lifts (the bench press, front squat and deadlift).

The second event mixed endurance, power and mobility in a ‘Full Body Fitness Sprint’; a race to the finish line that combined running, rowing and functional exercises such as the sled push and farmers carry.

Winning lifts included a 220kg deadlift (234% bodyweight) by Clifford Macduff, a 62-year-old from London and a 52.5kg bench press (79% bodyweight) performed by Noreen Kay (58).

For the Full Body Fitness Sprint, which included a 1km run and 1km row alongside sled pushes, farmers carries and a 500m ski-erg race, the fastest time of 11 minutes and 23 seconds was logged by Steven Price from Gloucester.

Sophie Overall, Partnerships Manager at BHF, said: “The competition was an excellent way to showcase that age is just a number and with the right support, anyone can start their exercise journey.”

Research has shown that over 50s are more loyal members, with greater lifetime value and that they attend more frequently than members in younger age groups, so the move is also a sound one commercially, as PureGym works to deepen engagement with members and potential members in this age bracket.