A/BPU Powerlifting Single Lifts British Championships at the Arnold Sports Festival UK, NEC, Birmingham Report

The A/BPU Single Lift Championships of the British Powerlifting Union has absolutely wiped us out! In the middle of the busiest competition season, sandwiched between weekends that each held up to three powerlifting qualifiers around the United Kingdom we ran the biggest ever single lift event that ever took place in UK with 351 competitors and over 500 starts.

Many saw the huge stage and the professional setup, and they saw the incredible, experienced staff who made it happen. And they enjoyed it in the most prestigious event possible, the Arnold Sports Festival UK, in front of a huge crowd of 1000s of spectators. What many didn’t see is how that came to happen, and more than decade of work behind it.

Starting from scratch with three lifters in 2013 The British Powerlifting Union has traversed a 13-year long, winding, and bumpy path that has led the federation further than was ever envisioned. It has turned into an organisation with over 2500 current members, over 40 competitions yearly, 7 day British Full Power Championships Championships at a professional conference and hotel venue in the centre of Manchester and three-tier qualification system.

On that journey there have been many highlights: the founding of the ABPU tested side as the first and biggest dual federation in UK, the introduction of classic raw class for wrapped lifters in powerlifting, hosting the first WPC European and WPC and AWPC World Powerlifting Championships, getting the contract for Bodypower Expo, hosting the first and only 3-platform platform meet ever in UK soil, finding a home for the British Championships in the Pendulum Hotel and Conference Centre, and sending the first ever 200+ strong UK powerlifting team outside the country are among the highlights of the 13-year journey of the British Powerlifting Union. We specialise in large international events and competitions, held in professional venues and have hosted the biggest World and European Championships in powerlifting in the UK with up to 700 competitors. We have classes at the full power powerlifting championships of up to 18 lifters and our lifters have grown with us which we are proud of.

Getting the contract to run a meet at the Arnolds Sports Festival UK Expo and being sponsored by Rogue, the world’s biggest brand in strength sports, adds to that list of highlights. For those in the sport for a long time the Arnolds Sports Festival is the top of the top of the sport. Strongman, bodybuilding and powerlifting reaches its pinnacle in the original Arnolds Sports Festival in Ohio, and Arnolds UK is on its way to becoming the second highest peak in strength sports. For a federation that had three members (3!) just 13 years ago, that is monumental.

Single lifts in UK never enjoying the popularity that full powerlifting does, having 350 entries and 500 starts was a raging success, and made the Arnolds UK weekend the biggest single lift competition in UK history. More than 20 volunteers worked to make this massive event happen. More than 200 hours of marketing, planning, pre-comp communication, purchases, and preparation was conducted behind the scenes before the event.

After 13 years of toil and work it was hard not to get sentimental. Some of the lifters, helpers and officials that had been part of the federation in the early days were on the verge of tears seeing the massive setup and staging. The A/BPU logo joined by prestigious, industry leading brands.

All time World and UK records broken, countless personal victories, multiple moments of disappointment and triumph. Lifters from 40kg to almost 200kg in bodyweight, from countries as distant as Australia and US, ranging from 13 years to over 80 years of age, and hailing from all walks of life, all under one roof and under OUR banner.

Thank you for everyone who made it happen.

Thank you for those who have cheered when we have been lost and thank you the naysayers who have lit the fire under our bellies when we are tired.

Thank you for those silently supporting and thank you for those who wave the flag loudly.

Thank you for the first timers and the legends of the sport, who all share the platform with mutual respect.

Thank you for those who work selflessly and leave their sweat on the platform where others chase glory.

Tired doesn’t quite cover how we felt after the competition. And happy doesn’t quite cover how elated we were either.

We f###ing did it!

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