Female powerlifter achieves fourth place at Commonwealth Championships

A Melksham powerlifter, who has only been taking part in the sport for a year and a half, has secured fourth place in the Commonwealth Bench Press Championships in South Africa.

Annabel Moloney competed in the championships earlier this month in Sun City, South Africa, where she lifted 95kg of weights, achieving a personal best.

“It feels so good to have come in fourth place,” says Annabel. “I worked so hard during my prep and to get a personal best at my first international just feels amazing. I also wanted to really enjoy the competition and gain experience, which I definitely feel I did.

“It was a close competition; the person in third place lifted 100kg, so I was 7.5kg off the podium. I was so happy with my performance and it was so good to share the platform with some amazing powerlifters!”

Annabel, who works as a nurse at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, was selected to represent England in this year’s championships after competing in the English Women’s Bench Press Championships earlier this year.

She has only been powerlifting for a year and a half after taking up the sport to help with back issues. Prior to that, she said that she had been strength training since she was about 17 years old.

Along with her husband, Annabel trains at City Fitness in Melksham and is also part of a weights and powerlifting club in Swindon called the Swindon Barbell Club.

Advocating the benefits of powerlifting and encouraging more women to have a go, she said, “I hope it sends a message that strength and powerlifting are for everyone and that you can achieve your goals with focus, drive and determination!

“After the competition, we went out for pizza and then the next day we went on a sunrise safari, which was wonderful!”