From coding to lifting, RANE’s Ryan Kelly represents Northern Ireland in powerlifting, bringing home a bronze medal.
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| RANE's Ryan Kelly clinches bronze in his first international powerlifting event, showcasing strength in and out of the office. Image Courtesy: Markus Marshall |
Belfast, Northern Ireland --- November 12, 2024:
By day, Ryan Kelly is a talented web developer crafting beautiful websites for RANE Digital Marketing Agency’s 600+ clients. But in his spare time, he's lifting serious weights! On October 4th, Ryan proudly represented Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, South Africa, taking home a bronze medal in his first international competition.
Unlike Olympic weightlifting, which includes "cleans and jerks," powerlifting is all about raw strength, with athletes performing three main lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. Ryan’s specialty is the "equipped bench press," and he showcased it impressively, achieving a personal best of 187.5kg to claim his medal.
Ryan's success has sparked excitement across RANE's Banbridge-based team, reinforcing the agency's family-like culture and support for personal achievements. “When my invitation from the Northern Ireland Powerlifting Federation arrived, I was speechless," Ryan shared. "I had to pass my phone around the office to believe it was real! Representing my country on an international stage and meeting legends of the sport has been a dream."
RANE’s management eagerly supported Ryan’s pursuit, with the company’s incentive program helping him take the time off needed to compete. “In previous roles, I had to hold back due to the risk of injury,” Ryan explained. “But at RANE, my colleagues are my biggest cheerleaders. Their support allows me to push myself harder.”
Neil Davey, RANE’s Creative Director and Co-Founder, echoed the pride shared by the team. “We were thrilled to hear about Ryan’s opportunity on such a prestigious stage. Some of us even stayed up late to watch the live stream. We couldn’t be prouder of his accomplishments.”
Powerlifting has also been a transformative experience for Ryan, both physically and mentally. “I was never into sports and was usually picked last for PE,” he admitted. “Finding the gym and realizing I could excel at something has done wonders for my confidence.”
Looking ahead, Ryan has set his sights on qualifying for Team GB at the World Powerlifting Championships in two years. Until then, he’s back to coding, ensuring RANE’s clients are (power) lifted to new heights!