A Suffolk woman has defended her title as European Champion in powerlifting
Siobhan Taylor from Haverhill now holds three titles! British, world and European champion
A Suffolk woman competed in the Equipped bench press European championship in Turkey yesterday to defend her title.
Day to day, Siobhan Taylor works at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge and began powerlifting seven years ago, in August 2017 after a back injury at aged 39.
But yesterday she put on her GB uniform to participate in her sixth competition of the year.
This win means she currently holds three titles!
British, World and European champion.
She said she "crushed it" in her event.
We asked her how she was feeling before stepping out and according to Siobhan she felt "relaxed."
"As this years gone on, I feel as though I've grown in confidence in this particular discipline in lifting.
"Training has been much more relaxed but also a lot of fatigue as this is competition six within eight months."
With so many impressive titles already we asked Siobhan what inspires her and motivates her to keep going.
She told us that it's not about the titles, it's about the sport itself and what it does for her.
"It makes me happy, even if I wasn't selected to be on the team, training is a way for me to socialise, it is an activity that I get a lot out of, it's so different to my job and it keeps me sane."
And although she is thrilled to have kept her title, it goes beyond that for her.
I am not shy about talking about my mental health, it's not been fabulous, especially post-COVID, obviously because I work as an ICU nurse... "It became very very challenging and I use training as a barometer about for how well I am looking after myself."
She previously mentioned that when she first started, it was difficult for her to find somebody who looked like her - to say that the powerlifting scene was somewhere she was welcomed.
And although she feels it's a much more inclusive space now, she wants to be that person for others who may be thinking about joining the sport.
"If that's my legacy, that there are women that are like, that's for me too, that makes me really happy."
We asked her what it means to be a role model to others.
She told us she never thought she would be the person to motivate others but has realised with time, that her actions are inspiring more people to get involved.
"That makes me really happy, movement is a gift."