{"id":29716,"date":"2026-09-21T08:47:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T08:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=29716"},"modified":"2026-09-21T08:47:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T08:47:00","slug":"gran-65-crowned-world-powerlifting-champion-after-incredible-22st-deadlift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=29716","title":{"rendered":"Gran, 65, crowned world powerlifting champion after incredible 22st deadlift"},"content":{"rendered":"


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A British gran has been crowned the world\u2019s strongest OAP powerlifter \u2013 after deadlifting the equivalent of an elephant.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Martine Barons, 65, has made history after winning the title for the third year in a row while representing Great Britain at the World and European Championships.<\/p>\n

The superfit sexagenarian came out on top in the squat lift and bench press before deadlifting a whopping 140kg (22st) \u2013 the same weight as a baby elephant.<\/p>\n

Last Monday (14\/9) she bagged her third World Championship title while competing in the Masters 6 U82.5kg division.<\/p>\n

It completed a hat-trick after she won the 2024 World Championships in Limerick, Ireland, and the 2025 World Powerlifting Championship in Idaho, USA.<\/p>\n

Martine, of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warks., said: \u201cI was confident I could probably win but I knew I wasn\u2019t going to be at my best this time due to picking up a bug.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was competing in the 65 to 85 age group for the first time, but I got sick after a trip to Kenya and was still recovering, so these aren\u2019t my best figures but I was the best on the day.<\/p>\n

\u201cI set a 90kg squat (14st), a 52.5kg bench (8st) and a 140kg deadlift (22st) on the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Martine Barons performing at the European Championships \u2013 World Record confirmed. (Pix via Martine Barons \/ SWNS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Martine Barons performing at the European Championships \u2013 Bench. (Pix via Martine Barons \/ SWNS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The academic researcher at Warwick University added: \u201cI recovered enough to get back to everyday life, but the illness had a huge impact on my strength.<\/p>\n

\u201cMentally, it was difficult to adjust my expectations, and tactically it was a challenge to pick lifts that were ambitious enough to be competitive but still within my capabilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn powerlifting, once you nominate a weight for an attempt, you can only increase it or keep it the same for your next lift.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you fail all three attempts in any one discipline, you don\u2019t record a total and you\u2019re out of the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Martine\u2019s winning deadlift was still two stone lighter than her career-best of 155kg (24st).<\/p>\n

The mum-of-three, who has four grandchildren, took up powerlifting by accident in December 2023 after a colleague introduced her to it and she found she had a knack for the sport.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cI\u2019ve really noticed the benefits of powerlifting in my life.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I need furniture moving at home, I can do it and when I\u2019m with my family I can toss my grandchildren in the air and play games with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy posture is also better and I just feel more capable and more confident in everyday life\u201d.<\/p>\n

Just six months after she started training she won the European Championships in Finland in June 2024 before successfully defending her title again in June 2025 in Poland.<\/p>\n

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Martine Barons performing at the European Championships \u2013 World Record confirmed. (Pix via Martine Barons \/ SWNS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Martine Barons performing at the World Championships. (Pix via Martine Barons \/ SWNS) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The gran \u2013 who weighs 12st 9lb and stands 5ft 6ins tall \u2013 maintains her strength by eating more than 188g of protein a day and hitting the gym 12 hours a week spread over four days.<\/p>\n

Martine added: \u201cI\u2019ve only been powerlifting for two-and-a-half years, my first competition was in April 2024 and I\u2019d only been lifting for a few weeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was meant to be a fun day out for us but I really enjoyed it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was actually scared to death of doing a deadlift before as I was worried I\u2019d hurt myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI entered anyway and made my friend lift with me and I had a fun day out.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we got invited to the British and European Championships.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never expected to be doing this. I love the training, the routine, the adrenaline of the competition and the joy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe community is amazing, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou bond together in adversity don\u2019t you. We all know what it takes to achieve this.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have seen such a huge change in my own physique and my capabilities \u2013 I don\u2019t struggle to lift things around the house anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Martine has won an impressive 20 of the 21 competitions she has entered in her weight class.<\/p>\n

Her next goal is to deadlift double her own body weight and hit 160kg (25 stone).<\/p>\n