Haverhill mum and intensive care nurse Siobhan Taylor becomes world champion powerlifter at IPF World Championships 2024

An intensive care nurse from a Suffolk town has been crowned a world powerlifting champion with a record-breaking bench press.

Siobhan Taylor, 45, has lived in Haverhill for more than ten years and works in the intensive care unit at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

She clinched the international title on her debut at the 2024 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Championships for her 185kg bench press in the 84kg Masters 1 category in Texas, setting a new British and Commonwealth record at the same time.

“It is something you genuinely have a dream about and I can’t quite believe I’ve achieved it,” Siobhan said.

“Being a world champion, it actually doesn’t feel real. It’s going to take my brain a little while to accept it I think and the whole experience and competition just went perfectly.

“Realising I’d broken the record was particularly unbelievable. It wasn't until I went backstage that I found out how much had actually been on the bars. It was 185kg, which is 22kg over the current British record and current Commonwealth record.

“On the podium I was so overwhelmed and was just trying not to cry but what’s really lovely is people have now been inspired by what I’ve done which is really humbling.”

Powerlifting differs from weightlifting as athletes don’t lift weights above their head and instead aim to lift as much weight as possible in a single motion, through a squat, bench or deadlift.

Siobhan, who took up powerlifting aged 39 to overcome a back injury, was selected to represent Great Britain in April.

She already holds the Commonwealth and All England Champion titles for powerlifting, and is a British Champion and European Champion on the equipped bench.

The mum-of-two said taking up the sport and being in the gym is a form of mediation for her.

“The gym is the place I go to to think through things and it helps work through any difficulties at home or work,” Siobhan said.

“It really is a form of meditation for me. The gym very much feels like my temple, the bar as my altar and reps as my prayers.

Siobhan has thanked her friends, family and colleagues for all their support and is especially grateful to her coach Rhett Milton-Barnes, 34, who works at Point Blank Gym in Cambridge.

“This is a team sport and there’s a massive team of people that have got me to this point who I am so grateful for,” she said.

“The person I owe the most to is Rhett who has been absolutely brilliant and I was ready to quit powerlifting a few years ago until I reached out to him.

“I was England champion at the time and he was awestruck that I reached out. He is one of the best things to ever happen to me.”

Siobhan added that she is looking for any medium to long-term sponsorship to cover the costs of funding her sporting exploits.

“This is a self-funded sport and what makes it hard is that we have to fund everything we do and cover all the costs,” she said.

“People should be enthusiastic about doing this sport and yet some of the best lifters in this country don’t get to represent this country due to the associated costs which is a real shame.”

Siobhan is looking forward to defending her title at the European Championships in August.