Three weight lifters from Swindon reached new heights during a standout showing on the national stage.
Athletes from Swindon Barbell competed at the 2026 British Classic Bench Press Championships in Maidstone, held from February 28 to March 1.
Among them was Annabell Moloney, who overcame a difficult 2025 season marked by injury and training setbacks to return stronger than ever before.
Moloney secured a silver medal in the Women’s Open 84kg+ category with a 100kg lift on her third attempt—setting a new personal best by 5kg.
Rosie Smith, a newcomer to the sport who only began competing last year, made her national debut and successfully benched 85kg.
She narrowly missed out on a bronze medal with an ambitious 92.5kg attempt.
Kevin Rack competed in the Men’s Masters 2 under-93kg category as a top contender and completed a 145kg lift on his second attempt.
He then aimed for a 10kg increase to break the South West bench press record.
However, a late change in the lifting order led to confusion and a technical error during his final lift.
Despite the setback, Rack was pleased to have taken the opportunity and is determined to return and claim the record in the near future.
Moloney and Rack have now been placed in the selection pool for international competition, with the next major event being the World Bench Press Championships in Poland at the end of May.
Swindon Barbell’s competition schedule is set to remain busy in the months ahead.
The English Bench Press Championships are next on the calendar, with all three lifters expected to take part once again.
Additional events include the Junior Powerlifting Championships and National Powerlifting Championships, along with a home competition jointly organised with the Army Powerlifting Union in July.
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