Claudia Gowland

Claudia Gowland’s journey to representing Great Britain at the 2026 IPF World Bench Press Championships is a powerful example of resilience,

determination, and personal growth. Her path into elite sport began at age 15, when she first started training with a focus on cardio. Over time, her interests shifted toward strength work, eventually guiding her into bodybuilding. Claudia committed an entire year to competition preparation, working with multiple coaches, following a rigorous routine, and demonstrating unwavering discipline.

However, her experience in bodybuilding proved far from straightforward. Claudia encountered several challenging coaching situations — from pressure to promote supplements, to being used for marketing purposes, and finally a coach whose sudden arrest abruptly ended her preparation. Only four weeks before stepping on stage, she withdrew from the competition, feeling unable to start again with yet another coach. Although she stepped away from bodybuilding, her passion for sport remained.

Claudia redirected her energy into running, completing a half marathon for charity in an impressive 1 hour and 40 minutes while continuing strength training. But this period came with its own challenges. Encouraged to loosen her strict nutritional routine, she lost a significant amount of weight. When she returned to university weighing just 40kg, she was severely underweight — yet still strong enough to lift more than her own bodyweight.

Her first attempt to join the BU Powerlifting Team didn’t go as planned, as she was unable to attend one of the sessions. Instead of accepting defeat, Claudia came back the following year with renewed determination. This decision became a turning point. Still balancing running at the time, joining the team encouraged her to shift her focus fully to powerlifting. She soon qualified for the BUCS Powerlifting Championships, marking the moment she chose powerlifting over marathon running.

From there, Claudia worked to rebuild both her physical health and her competitive strength. She gained weight in a healthy, sustainable way and continued to develop as a lifter. A major milestone came when she began training with coach Lucas Silva. After her previous negative experiences, regaining trust in a coach was difficult, but Lucas provided the supportive environment she needed. Under his coaching, Claudia progressed from benching around 40kg to over 80kg.

This remarkable improvement led to one of her proudest achievements: being selected to represent Great Britain at the 2026 IPF World Bench

Claudia Gowland

Press Championships. For Claudia, this honour marks not the end, but the beginning of an exciting chapter. Her journey — defined by perseverance, strength, and the courage to start again — stands as a powerful reminder that setbacks don’t determine the destination.

Claudia’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance — and to the supportive environment she found at Bournemouth University. It was at BU that she rediscovered her strength, built lasting confidence, and found a community that believed in her potential. Now, as she prepares to represent Great Britain on the world stage, she carries BU’s spirit with her. Her story shows current and future BU students that with resilience, the right support, and the courage to start again, remarkable achievements are possible.