March Week 4
European Open Classic Championships
The 2026 European Open Classic just wrapped up over in sunny Malta. Team GBR did us proud, as always. The men won the team award for the fifth time in a row and the women were third – as long as the men have been winning, the women have been matching them or not far behind, making the top three every time.
As well as eight podium finishes, including two European champions, our athletes brought home 23 individual lift medals, 9 gold, 7 silver and 7 bronze.
- 66kg – Benedict Grant – 632.5kg – 4th
- 74kg – Sam Dew – 695kg – 5th
- 83kg – Tyri Miller – 825kg – SILVER
- 93kg – Christian Ayandokun – 882.5kg – GOLD & 3rd best lifter
- 93kg – Jonathan Lewis – 820kg – SILVER
- 120kg – Abdul Majeed Sulayman – 945kg – BRONZE
- 120+kg – Ajay Sharma – 1032kg – GOLD
- 120+kg – Paul Kirkbride-Richards – 945kg – 6th
- 47kg – Sharvari Karnik – 352.5kg – 4th
- 47kg – Nikola Murray – 335kg – 7th
- 57kg – Adejoke Adetayo – 487.5kg – SILVER
- 57kg – Caitlin Baxter – 455kg – 6th
- 63kg – Sabrina Downes – 480kg – 5th
- 76kg – Bettina Hanlon – 565kg – BRONZE
- 84+kg – Toyosi Omotoso – 662.5kg – SILVER & 3rd best lifter
- 84+kg – Dominique Fortune – 567.5kg – 5th
Team awards
- Men – 1st place
- Women – 3rd place
RECORDS
- Benedict Grant – Squat – British record – 252.5kg
- Sam Dew – Squat – European M1 record – 272.5kg
- Sam Dew – Bench – European M1 record – 175kg
- Sam Dew – Total – British M1 record – 695kg
- Christian Ayandokun – Squat – British record – 315kg
- Christian Ayandokun – Total – British record – 882.5kg
- Jonathan Lewis – Deadlift – British record – 367.5kg
- Ajay Sharma – Squat – British record – 420kg
- Ajay Sharma – Total – British record – 1032.5kg
- Sharvari Karnik – Squat – British record – 135kg
- Adejoke Adetayo – Squat – British record – 190kg
- Bettina Hanlon – Total – British record – 565kg
- Toyosi Omotoso – Bench – British record – 135kg
Huge thanks to the coaching team and referees. We appreciate you.
-Jo Whiteley
Recruitment Drive
We’re looking to expand our Events Technology Committee to strengthen support across our growing events. This is a great opportunity to be part of a collaborative team that plays a key role in delivering seamless, high-quality event experiences.
As a committee member, you’ll contribute to the planning, setup, and execution of event technology.
Whether you’re experienced in event tech or looking to build your skills in a dynamic environment, we welcome enthusiastic individuals who are eager to get involved and make an impact.
To express your interest, please email your CV and a short covering letter to the Recruitment Lead: board@britishpowerlifting.org
Website Development
We’ve received lots of feedback on our new website and are eager to make some of the changes. We hope the released articles embedded onto the website provides an easier to read format for our members. Some further plans include isolating the announcement section, updating imagery across the site, and further seamless integration with the Sport:80 platform.
The team are still working on setting up a mailing system so that members are notified when there is a release on announcements, so our members don’t miss anything!
Open Forum – Coaching License & AGM Voting
We will be hosting an open forum to encourage respectful and constructive discussion with the development of the coaching licence framework for 2027. The session will provide an opportunity for participants to share perspectives on what is working, where improvements can be made, and how the system can continue to evolve while maintaining its core purpose of ensuring athlete safety.
We are also hosting an open forum to gather feedback on our AGM online voting system, inviting users to share their experiences, insights, and ideas for improvement. This initiative aims to better understand what is working well, identify areas that may need refinement, and explore new opportunities for development. By encouraging open dialogue and community input, we hope to enhance the system to ensure it remains accessible, effective, and responsive to user needs.
New Western Euros Selection Process
We’d like to introduce Owen Kirk as our new Western Euros Head Coach.
The Western European Championships Team will serve as a key development pathway for emerging international athletes, prioritising lifters who have not yet competed at Open Worlds Classic and are not part of the 2026 Masters or Juniors squads, while also creating opportunities for coaches through a commitment to equal representation. More can be found here.