A computer science student who took up powerlifting after watching videos of strongman Eddie Hall has won two gold medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in Canada.
Hasan Amjad represented England in the under-105kg junior men’s equipped full-power event, covering the squat, bench press and deadlift, and the equipped bench press-only event.
The final-year student at Keele University said hearing the national anthem on the podium was a particularly special moment.
“I always envisioned myself on the international stage being able to represent my country,” he said.
“I thought I’d reach that point in my mid-30s, so to have done it much earlier is very satisfying.”
Hasan began going to the gym when he was 17 years old, shortly after the Covid lockdowns, inspired by videos of Staffordshire’s Eddie Hall performing heavy deadlifts.
He later met competitive powerlifter and strength coach Ben Johnson at his local gym, who recognised his potential and encouraged him to compete.
Hasan, who is from Wolverhampton, entered his first development competition in July 2022, deadlifting 250kg. In December that year, he set a regional under-18 deadlift record of 272.5kg, which he still holds.
He said: “It meant a lot to me as I knew I had the strength to achieve it, but it was just a matter of execution.
“It’s also special to look back and see that I still hold the record to this day, which is something that I use as motivation from time to time.”
After setting several West Midlands junior records, Hasan qualified for the English championships at the West Midlands Spring Championships in April. He went on to win his category and become English champion, earning an invitation to represent England at the Commonwealth championships.
However, Hasan admits balancing training with university life has not always been easy for him.
He said: “I found staying motivated to keep on powerlifting while studying at university to be a very tough challenge. I didn’t feel like powerlifting had much of a space in my routine, especially during 2025 where I did not compete at all.
“I had plenty of self-doubt creep in when I went through periods of poor training, where I knew I wasn’t performing at my best.”
A turning point came last year, when Hasan joined West Midlands Powerlifting Club.
He said: “The people who train there genuinely made me so hungry to want to push and work hard.
“Being surrounded by national and world champions was something which really gave me self-belief that I could one day become one too. They have shared loads of advice, and I owe a large amount of my success to their guidance and support, along with my coach and family.”
Hasan has also been awarded a Keele University sports scholarship for the 2026/27 academic year, helping him pursue his sporting ambitions alongside his degree. Alongside powerlifting, he trains four times a week and plays for Keele Men’s Rugby first team.
His next ambition is to represent Team GB in 2027, while completing his degree at Keele.
And he has encouraged others to pursue their passions and remain committed through difficult periods.
He said: “Be able to show up on your best days but also still have the means to show up on your bad days and get the work done.
“If you can master this, results will inevitably happen and the opportunities that can come your way can be genuinely life changing.”
