2023 BUCS Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting Championships

Congratulations to everyone who competed at the BUCS Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting Championships at Bangor University between 22 and 23 April 2023.

Over 160 students turned out for the competition, from over 40 universities. It was fantastic to see students going head-to-head, displaying strength and power as they lifted huge weights for the prestigious BUCS title, with three NEW British records broken over the competition period.

For over 100 years British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) has been at the forefront of university sport in the United Kingdom. BUCS works with its member institutions to get more students active more often, through traditional competitive sport and providing physical activity opportunities.

This was the third official BUCs Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting competition since British Weight Lifting was added to the BUCS competition programme in 2020.

Unfortunately in 2023, there were no Para Powerlifting entries and so the event took place as a weightlifting only event.

Congratulations to Loughborough University who came out top with the most amount of BUCS points, Nottingham University was in second place and Birmingham University in third.

On the red platform, Alex MacKay from Dundee University picked up the first gold medal of the day in the women’s 45kg category, going 6 for 6 and securing a 118kg total. She lifted 68kg in the snatch which also gave her a British Under 23 record.

In the women’s 49kg category, Astrid Robertson from Birmingham University snatched 55kg and in the clean and jerk lifted 70kg, giving her a 125kg total and a gold medal.

In the women’s 55kg category Alivia Smith from Glasgow University secured gold with a 140kg total, Kate Rattley from Bournemouth University got silver with a 135kg total and Izni Saara Mohamed Fauzi from Loughborough University got bronze with a 133kg total.

In the women’s 59kg category Charlotte Whalley from Bath University lifted 71kg in the snatch and 83kg in the clean and jerk giving her a 154kg total and first place. Catrin Jones from Birmingham University came second lifting 63kg in the snatch, and 85kg in the clean and jerk giving her a 148kg total. In third place was Lauren Smith from Plymouth University who snatched 69kg and hit 77kg in the clean and jerk giving her a 146kg total.

In the women’s 64kg category, Emily Steel from Loughborough University lifted 71kg in the snatch and 100kg in the clean and jerk giving her a total of 171kg, the gold medal and a British record in the Under 23 clean and jerk. Michaela Forgacova from Arts London lifted 67kg in her snatch but missed 70kg on her second and third attempt. It was still enough to secure silver, with her 83kg clean and jerk giving her a total of 150kg. Clara Dunbavin from Cambridge University secured a total of 145kg, with a 64kg snatch and 81kg clean and jerk and the bronze medal.

In the women’s 71kg category Anushka Bovill from Loughborough University only secured one good lift in the snatch (75kg) and one good lift in the clean and jerk (96kg) but it was enough to pick up the gold medal with a 171kg total! Anna Watkin from Stirling University came second with a 74kg snatch and 90kg clean and jerk giving her a 164kg total. Grace Thomas from Manchester University lifted 67kg in the snatch and 93kg in the clean and jerk giving her a 160kg total and a bronze medal.

In the women’s 76kg category Bella Brown from Nottingham University lifted 85kg in the snatch and in the clean and jerk lifted 107kg giving her a 192kg total and a gold medal. Fallon Parker from Leeds Beckett came second with a 163kg total after lifting 73kg in the snatch and 90kg in the clean and jerk. Eleanor Mawson from Heriot-Watt secured the bronze medal with a 160kg total.

In the women’s 81kg category, Commonwealth Games athlete Deborah Alawode, competing for UCL secured gold with a 215kg total. Funmi Morgan from Leeds got silver with a total of 173kg.

In the women’s 87kg category, Emily Sweeney from Nottingham University lifted 90kg in the snatch and 110kg in the clean and jerk for a 200kg total and the gold medal. Niamh Collins from Loughborough University snatched 87kg and clean and jerked 108kg for second place.

In the final women’s session, Kiona McLennon from Manchester Metropolitan University secured first place with a 153kg total after lifting 63kg in the snatch and 90kg in the clean and jerk in the women’s 87+kg category. Erin Quinn from Northumbria University got the silver medal with a 142kg total and Mabel Wylie from Edinburgh University came third with a total of 134kg.

On the blue platform, Ben Foggo from Bangor University secured the first gold medal of the competition in the men’s 61kg category with a 84kg snatch and 110kg clean and jerk giving him a 194kg total.

In the men’s 67kg category Kin Liu from Queen Mary’s University lifted 107kg in the snatch and 130kg in the clean and jerk, giving him a total of 237kg. Yegeun Ji from Loughborough University lifted 100kg in the snatch and 133kg in the clean and jerk giving him a total of 233kg and a silver medal. Commonwealth Games athlete Ben Hickling from Brighton University secured third place with a 99kg snatch and 128kg clean and jerk giving him a total of 227kg.

In the men’s 73kg category, Neil Thomas from Manchester Metropolitan University secured the gold medal with a snatch of 101kg and a clean and jerk of 131kg, giving him a total of 232kg. Gilbert Thomas from Strathclyde University was a close second with a total of 231kg. Thomas Scrivens from Loughborough University received a bronze medal for his total of 225kg.

The men’s 81kg category was hugely popular with 31 lifters split across three groups. Ed Gibson from Cardiff Metropolitan University lifted 107kg in the snatch and 138kg in the clean and jerk for first place and a 245kg total. Jean-Baptiste Adams from Imperial College came second with a snatch of 110kg and a clean and jerk of 131kg, giving him a total of 241kg. James Godden from Swansea University just missed out on silver, taking the bronze medal with a 105kg snatch and 136kg clean and jerk giving him a 241kg total.

In the men’s 89kg category, Ed Smale from Nottingham University took first place with a 137kg snatch and 165kg clean and jerk giving him a total of 302kg. Chris Russ also from Nottingham University lifted 130kg in the snatch and 150kg in the clean and jerk for the silver medal. Max Barman from Imperial College came third with a total of 276kg.

In the men’s 96kg category, Stephen Bestman from Brunel University lifted 135kg in the snatch and 170kg in the clean and jerk for a 305kg total and the gold medal. Henry Axon from Loughborough University lifted 126kg in the snatch and 158kg in the clean and jerk giving him a total of 284kg and the silver medal. Edward Owen from Birmingham University secured third place with a 117kg snatch and 147kg clean and jerk giving him a total of 264kg total.

In the men’s 102kg category Josh Hutton from Sunderland University lifted 132kg which was a new British Under 20 record in the snatch. He lifted 150kg in the clean and jerk which gave him a total of 282kg and a gold medal! Oliver Godwin from Manchester Metropolitan University got the silver medal with a total of 261kg and Jonathan Healy from Westminster University came third with a total of 253kg.

In the men’s 109kg category, Oliver Humphray from Loughborough University came first with a snatch of 103kg and a clean and jerk of 126kg, giving him a total of 229kg.

The final men’s competition was the 109+kg category. Louis Western from Cardiff Metropolitan University secured first place with a 100kg snatch and 143kg clean and jerk, giving him a total of 243kg. Kane Aubrey from Loughborough University came a close second with a 106kg snatch, a 136kg clean and jerk and a total of 242kg. Jan Klawitter from Plymouth University lifted 96kg in the snatch and 123kg in the clean and jerk for a 219kg total and the bronze medal.

British Weight Lifting would like to thank everyone who made the BUCS Weightlifting Championships such a success.

Thank you to the Technical Officials, loaders and speakers who gave up their time and ensured the event ran smoothly – Holly Baker, Patrick Roberts, Rebecca Heyhurst, Aaron Holt, Jessica Roebuck Slaney, Mary Hancock, Aaron Lindsey, Steve Sharp, Alex Phillips, Frank Etherson, Harj Cheema, Sophie Harrison, Stuart Treadwell, Ray Williams, Lucas Cheslett, Jacob Hill Izani, Guy Mitchell, Sabrina Morimeley, Mick Lee, Guto Hughes, Hollie Williams, Alisa Brown and Ellen Mair Price.

Thank you to the athletes, coaches and supporters for putting on a fantastic performance on the platform and for the support and encouragement shown off the platform.

Thank you to Dave Jones and Bangor University team for providing a great venue and helping throughout the competition.

As always, a massive thank you is due to our partners who allow us to continue to develop the sports of weightlifting and para powerlifting in the UK. Thank you to UK Sport, Official Sport England, National Lottery Funding Partners, Eleiko, SBD Apparel Sportscover Europe and Sport & Fitness Flooring.

We hope you enjoyed the weekend as much as we did! For the full results, please click on the links below:

2023 BUCS Weightlifting Women’s Results

2023 BUCS Weightlifting Men’s Results