Margaret Lynes departs BWL to join Commonwealth Games England

British Weight Lifting (BWL) announces that our Head of Events, Margaret Lynes, will be leaving the organisation on 22 August 2025 to take up a new role with Commonwealth Games England as their Sport Manager.

Margaret joined BWL in January 2023, where she oversaw the successful restructure and delivery of national competitions and played a pivotal role in raising the standard of BWL’s event operations.  Her leadership ensured that athletes, coaches, officials, and fans consistently enjoyed high-quality experiences at BWL events. From the British Open through to National Championships, she raised the standard of delivery, embedding professionalism, innovation, and attention to detail across every stage of event planning and execution. Under her guidance, BWL competitions became more athlete-focused, spectator-friendly, and operationally efficient.

A highly respected figure in British sport, Margaret has dedicated decades to athletics and weightlifting in the UK. She represented England at multiple Commonwealth Games across two sports, competing in athletics (shot put) in 1994 and 1998, before making history as the first English athlete to compete in two different sports at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, where she finished sixth in weightlifting.

Her distinguished athletics career saw her win 22 medals at AAA, UK, and AAA Indoor Championships between 1986 and 1998, including two AAA Indoor titles. In weightlifting, she became a pioneer for British lifters winning triple gold at the inaugural EEC Championships, securing six European medals (including two clean and jerk titles), and finishing fourth at the 1989 World Championships.

Beyond her athletic achievements, Margaret has held numerous leadership roles in sport. She served as England Weightlifting Team Manager at the 2010 Delhi and 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, was part of Team England’s executive team at the 2018 Gold Coast and 2022 Birmingham Games and supported the Team GB Performance Lodge at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. She also contributed to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as Services Manager for Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting and from 2008 to 2011 she also served as a Director of BWL.

Speaking on her departure, Matthew Curtain, BWL CEO said:

‘Maggie has made a lasting impact on BWL, both during her time as Head of Events and throughout her lifetime of service to the sport. While we are sad to see her leave, we are immensely proud that she will continue to contribute to sport on the Commonwealth stage. We thank her for her leadership, passion, and dedication, and wish her every success in her new role.’