Nick Comer celebrated his 33rd birthday yesterday after winning two medals at the World Powerlifting Championships at Cape Town in South Africa.

The Isfield lifter sealed an individual bronze medal in the 67.5kilo class, an effort which helped Britain secure a team silver behind the hosts.

Comer, who qualified as British champion, said: "Training will be out tomorrow because I've got the medals as well as my birthday to enjoy.

"The trip cost me £2,500 but was worth every penny. The competition was tough, the refereeing strict, I was 6,500 miles away without my coach and it was such a big stage. It was hard-work and nerve-racking but a great new experience."

Comer believes if coach Greg Bates had been there he could have got an individual silver medal.

"Greg would have kept me more focussed and positive. My mind wandered and negative thoughts about failure entered my head, but he couldn't go because his mum was poorly."

Uckfield Club member Comer lifted 190kilo in the squat, 145 in the bench press and 160 in the deadlift. "I was disappointed a little with my performance, which was down on what I can do, but considering the circumstances I'm more than happy with what I got out of it."

Comer took up the sport early last year and won the Southern Area Championships in April to qualify him for the British Championships in which he triumphed in July.

He revealed competitors can be susceptible to heart attacks, nose bleeds and knee and calf injuries.

But he said: "It doesn't put me off. I love it. The attraction is that it is you versus the iron. I want to carry on competing and I'm aiming for next year's World Championships in Finland."