Tony Hollands’ surprise 1,500-mile round-trip to see wife Sue win World Masters Powerlifting Championship
Oct 26 2010 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner
Tony Hollands’ surprise 1,500-mile round-trip to see wife Sue win World Masters Powerlifting Championship
STRONG woman Sue Hollands is used to doing the lifting.
But it was devoted husband Tony who gave his wife a big pick-me-up when he made a surprise 1,500-mile round-trip to see her claim her latest powerlifting title.
Sue, 58, was in Pilsen in the Czech Republic to compete in the World Masters Powerlifting Championship.
The Bradley CE Infant and Nursery School teacher, of Ravensthorpe, had won the 90kg class of the over-50s section eight years in a row.
But Tony, 66, had never had the chance to see her do it.
He said: said: “I can’t normally get to the tournaments because they are so far away – last year it was in Palm Springs in California, next year it’s in Canada.
“So when I found out you could get a bus from Dewsbury to Pilsen for £54 return I thought, why not?”
Tony, a lollipop man and former bank worker, spent 28 hours on the road to get to Pilsen without Sue knowing, before secretly taking his seat in the stand.
He said: “I didn’t want her to be put off – I thought if she sees me she will think something is the matter.
“It’s her thing, her glory, I just wanted to be there – in my Union Jack shorts, cap and shirt – to see her do it.
“So I just got myself a seat behind a pillar, where I could peer out.”
