Posted 08 July 2022 - 14:00
Posted 08 July 2022 - 14:00
News
Mental health nurse selected for Commonwealth Games weightlifting team
Cyrille Tchatchet will represent England at the games in Birmingham this summer, and says he ‘cannot wait to take another shot at a medal’
Cyrille Tchatchet will represent England at the games in Birmingham this summer, and says he ‘cannot wait to take another shot at a medal’
A mental health nurse is hoping to be worth his weight in gold this summer after being selected to represent England in the Commonwealth Games.
Cyrille Tchatchet, who works for Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, will be part of the Team England weightlifting squad for the games, which take place in Birmingham from 28 July to 8 August.
Nurse is Commonwealth Games veteran
A four-time British champion, Mr Tchatchet previously competed in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow for his home country Cameroon, finishing fifth in the 85kg category.
He went on to claim asylum in Britain and was granted refugee status in 2016.
The road to a nursing career
While waiting for his asylum application to be processed, Mr Tchatchet experienced homelessness and depression and says his experiences prompted him to pursue a career in nursing.
Mr Tchatchet joined the nursing register in 2019 after training to be a mental health nurse at Middlesex University.
NHS trust ‘incredibly proud’ of nurse’s work and weightlifting
‘Cyrille’s story is one filled with inspiration,’ said his trust’s chief nursing officer Dean Howells. ‘His dedication to his profession as a nurse, and his passion as a weightlifter, perfectly sum up the drive and spark that the Commonwealth Games seeks to ignite in communities across the West Midlands this summer.
‘As a nurse, Cyrille provides high-quality care to mental health patients in our Black Country communities, supporting the most vulnerable individuals and helping them to live happier and more independent lives.
‘We are all incredibly proud of him and will be supporting him every step of the way!’
Mr Tchatchet excited about competing again at Commonwealth Games
Last year Mr Tchatchet took part in the Olympic Games in Tokyo representing a team made up of refugees, and came 10th in the 96kg category.
Mr Tchatchet, who was granted British citizenship earlier this year, said he felt delighted and privileged to be selected for Team England.
‘It is nearly eight years since I last competed at the Commonwealth Games and I cannot wait to take another shot at a medal,’ he said.
He will be among 400 athletes representing England at the event.
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