A STAGECOACH in Oxfordshire bus driver is celebrating after winning second place in the World Powerlifting Championship.

To qualify for the championships in Halle, Germany, last month, Gabor Laszlo, 38, has lifted a total of 670kg – that’s the equivalent to approximately 20 bus tyres.

Mr Laszlo, who drives the number 8 bus in Oxford, has been powerlifting since 2012.

He came second in his first ever competition a year later, which was held in Kidlington.

Last month he competed against powerlifters from all over the world and secured second place with a 670kg total in the 110kg weight category.

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The competition was organised by the German Drug Free Powerlifting Association.

Mr Laszlo represented Great Britain as a member of the British Drug Free Powerlifting Association, the second biggest federation in the UK.

Mr Laszlo said: “Qualifying for the world championships and participating are my biggest achievements in powerlifting to date.

Oxford Mail:

“It was challenging to get to that point and I am so proud to have been there and to have been placed second. Now for the next one!”

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The British Drug Free Powerlifting Association was formed in 1989 with the purpose of providing an alternative national platform for drug free competition at a time when the use of performance enhancing-drugs was rife and unchecked in the associations of that era.

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In 2014 it celebrated its 25th year as the BDFPA (formerly the BPA).

Stagecoach in Oxfordshire provides local bus service throughout Oxford City and Oxfordshire.

It also operates the Oxford Tube coach service between Oxford and London.

Last month it invested £5m in a fleet of 21 new buses running between Carterton, Witney and Oxford.

The number 8 bus runs from Oxford to Barton and Risinghurst.