The Write Up!

MATT BOLTON has been crowned Andover’s Fittest.

The Army physical training instructor (PTI) blasted his way through the CrossFit competition hosted by Alternative Fitness to take the inaugural title.

He defeated 11 rivals, including runner-up Sean Cole and third-placed David Millings, in the physical battle which tested every aspect of their fitness from strength, stamina and speed to agility, balance and flexibility.

Erla Sigardottir took the ladies’ crown from Kirsten Saffy, while Alice Chattell was third.

The competition was dreamed up by Walworth Business Park-based CrossFit gym Alternative Fitness.

And it consisted of four events designed to push the entrants to their physical limits.

Bolton set the pace after round one, which focused on muscular and cardiovascular endurance.

He completed the 500m row, five rounds of five burpees, 10 push press with 40kg, 15 squats and then another 500m row in a time of 9mins 5secs.

Kris Kirk was second in 9.20 ahead of Nick Spencer’s time of 9.55.

The ladies’ event saw the push press scaled down to 20kg and Sigardottir came out on top in 11.32.

Event two homed in on the entrants’ pure strength.

After three attempts at powerlifting exercises – the squat, the deadlift and the shoulder press – the best efforts were combined.

Spencer, David Millings and Graham Parker, who has only been at the gym three months, all broke personal bests in the heat of competition.

But it was Sean Cole who won the event with a 230kg deadlift, 160kg squat and 65kg shoulder press making an overall tally of 460kg.

The standout performance from the ladies was Saffy’s total of 185kg, which included a new gym record of 100kg on the deadlift.

Event three added to the mix the Olympic lift with grace – 30 repetitions of the clean and jerk with 60kg for men and 20kg for women.

Bolton claimed his second event win, clocking a time of 2.20. Millings beat his personal best by more than a minute to finish in 2.35 with Turner third in 2.50.

Sigardottir cruised through in a time of 1.37 to win the ladies’ event.

With both titles still up for grabs the finale was a nail-biting chipper workout of the day.

This consisted of 50 double-unders or 125 singles, 40 pull-ups, 30 24-inch box-jumps, 20 press-ups, 200m run, 20 power snatches (40kg for men and 20kg for women), 30 ring dips, 40 pull-Ups, 50 double-unders or 125 singles.

Saffy staked her claim for ladies’ title in a thrilling time of 13.23, with Sigardottir 55 seconds adrift.

Bolton confirmed his dominance of the men’s event, though, with an unrivalled time of 11.01.

Cole stopped the clock on 12.48, doing enough to clinch second overall, while Millings finished in 13.42 to snatch third spot.