A/BPU British Team WPC World Powerlifting Championships 2025 in Durban, South Africa highlights

So the team has made it back from the WPC World Powerlifting Championships 2025 in Durban, South Africa clutching a lot of gold and silver medals. They were victorious and a real asset for the A/BPU British Powerlifting Union RAW, Classic RAW and equipped powerlifting and bench only and deadlift only in Great Britain.

We had a number of experienced British team powerlifters who were old hands at navigating the issues that international powerlifting competitions throws at you. You factor in the travel elements, which in this case were pretty much anything between 16 and 24 hours of flying and travel, different equipment, a strange country environment, competitors from other countries you may not have seen before, different food and also being out of your routine. Generally, you dont expect to get the same results you would at home with all those familiar things around you, but many of the team hit personal bests, especially our equipped British team powerlifters.

We also had some first time long haul British team powerlifters who had qualified for, and were part of the British powerlifting team and qualified A/BPU British Powerlifting Union top 3 podium winners, who still managed to hit PBs and win their classes and do Team GB proud! Marin Tecuta, on his first squat, his belt popped open just at the drive point at the bottom of his squat and he still came up with it, although due to the loading, caused a major tear in his quad – and STILL carried on! We had Iain Conner, who decided to go at the last minute, recovering from a shoulder injury, take first place and then there was me, 2 months after a major elbow fracture and only just starting to weight bear again benching in the RAW bench division at a third of weight I normally do, taking a win in the open bench only with competition in my class.

So we had the old guard, the new guard and the injured old crocks all in one British team.

The WPC South Africa organised the competition so well, and we pay major tribute to WPC South Africa for the year long slog of admin, kit arranging, venue tussling, people herding, medals phone calls and so much more. The long and hard work paid off for a WPC World Championships competition which managed to keep to time tables apart from the odd glitch and had great communication.

I have to say 2 things – our team was second to none with Gareth James spotting and loading there, Kelly Morgan, well, doing everything and Shell running the weigh ins, Mo reffing and me reffing working with the WPC South Africa crew which was fabulous. Our A/BPU British powerlifting team were so professional, kind, supportive, fun and personally I was so very proud of them all, even the equipped benchers!

I do have to mention one thing. In 1996, WPC South Africa hosted the WPC World Championships for the first time. Myself and Paul Morgan (now bench only equipped) were there and competed, Paul Morgan being a Junior at the time. Andrea Sterns, who is now the President of WPC Australia was also there as was WPC USA’s Krista Ford and all of us were there, 29 years later, back on platform and winning. Personally this was a pretty momentous occasion but sad I couldnt lift the way I had planned.

There is so much to say, but as social media has now reduced peoples attention span to 2.6 seconds, the important bit is below. The British Powerlifting Union would like to thank all the members of the British Powerlifting Union international team for their professional, kind and determined performance which we are extremely proud of. These huge teams travel the world and they are always an asset to team Great Britain.

Please support our team who made it onto the international team to represent GB and brought home pride and medals. Thank you all

Cheska Webb Full Power GOLD: RAW, 60kg class 247.5kg and bench only 47.5kg.

David Gibson Bench only: GOLD 75kg class 100kg raw and 110kg single ply

Adam Snead Bench only GOLD: 110kg class 180kg RAW

Tanya Khan, full power GOLD RAW 56kg class, total 292.5kg

Emma Ylitalo-James Bench Only GOLD open and M4, 90kg class 100kg.

Richard Baker Full Power GOLD Classic RAW, M4, 126kg class 710kg total

Gareth James Full Power and Deadlift Only GOLD: Raw fp 100kg class 657.5kg and dlo 285kg

Joanne Carr-Wilkinson Full power GOLD Classic RAW 100kg class 392.5kg

Marin Tecuta Full power SILVER Classic RAW 90kg class 545kg

Mo Proctor, Full power SILVER Classic RAW 100kg class Master 4, 360kg

Dan Shearly, Full Power GOLD Full Power Single Ply 90kg class, M1, 750kg

Aaron Hosking, Full power, GOLD Multiply, 140kg class, 955kg

Tony Chilcott, Full Power, GOLD Single ply 82.5kg class, Masters 4, 625kg

Peter Oram, Full power, GOLD, RAW, 100kg class and M7, 462.5 and dlo 225kg

Iain Conner, Bench only GOLD, Multiply 125kg class, 295kg

Sherrie Reed, Full power, GOLD Classic RAW, 75kg class 322.5kg

Bence Fagyas, Full; Power, GOLD Classic RAW, Open 110kg class 795kg

Owen Gayle, Full power GOLD, classic RAW, open 67,5kg class 677.5kg

Ali Hasanzade, Full Power GOLD: RAW open 90kg class, 635kg

Jason Reilly, Full power GOLD RAW open 90kg M3 class, 405kg

Paul Morgan, Bench Only, GOLD, Bench only RAW GOLD 110kg class RAW 190kg, Unlimited 335kg

Kevin Maher Bench only GOLD M5, 100kg class, Unlimited, 182.5kg

If you would like to watch the YouTube live stream then go to: https://www.youtube.com/@EmetMedia/streams

Remember – 2026 has even bigger opportunity for international competing – as well as at home.

27 to 29 March: A/BPU British Single Lift Championships – gateway to the WPC and AWPC World Championships at the Arnold Sports Festival, NEC.

1 to 6 June: A/WPC European Championships 2026 in Limerick Ireland

8-14 July: A/BPU British Full Power Championships 2026, Manchester gateway to the WPC and AWPC World Championships at the Pendulum Hotel and Conference Centre.

9-14 September: AWPC World Championships 2026, Pendulum Hotel and Conference Centre, Manchester

November 2026: WPC World Championships 2026 – city to be confirmed.

Go to the following page for all the details: A/BPU Competition Schedule