Mike Pearman

Mike Pearman spent more than 60 years involved with weightlifting as a competitor and later a coach. He competed in three Olympics (1964-72), with a best finish of 11th in 1972. Pearman won two Commonwealth Games bronze medals, however, in 1966 (Kingston, Jamaica) and 1974 (Christchurch, New Zealand). Pearman started lifting at the age of 14 thanks to his father Fred who was a former London champion. In 1960, three days before his 19th birthday, the young Pearman broke four junior British and Commonwealth middleweight records and, as a senior, went on to break many more British records.

During his competitive career, Pearman was a ladies’ hair stylist at his father´s south-west London salon. He was a member of the United Amateur Wrestling and Weightlifting Club in Balham and was the British middleweight champion in 1963 and 1964 before moving up to light-heavyweight. He won the light-heavyweight title in 1973 but, despite being the reigning champion, was initially left out if the England team for the 1974 British Commonwealth Games. Pearman was eventually called up, however, and justified that decision by winning bronze. Pearman was head coach to both the Great Britain 2001 World Championship and England 2014 Commonwealth Games squads.