When Perthshire ambulance technician Kayleigh Olsen started lifting weights she found she enjoyed it and liked “being strong”.
But little did she know that nine years later she would be chosen to compete in the 2024 Commonwealth Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships in South Africa this October.
It is an incredible achievement for the 28-year-old, who will be competing in the bench-only event as part of Team Scotland.
“When I got the email to say I had been selected to compete I cried.
“I just couldn’t believe it.” she says.
“As soon as I found out I called my mum. She just screamed – she was so excited!”
She adds: “Being chosen to represent Scotland in a Commonwealth powerlifting event is a huge honour and I am extremely excited to begin this journey.”
Being active from an early age
The former Royal Douglas Memorial Primary School pupil started getting involved in sport from an early age.
Kayleigh says: “I did gymnastics when I was about six years old.
“I also went swimming and I did Taekwondo for a while.”
She admits she wasn’t as active while she was a teenager at Perth Academy.
But when Kayleigh was 19 she discovered Crossfit and this is where her love of weight lifting began.
CrossFit is a strength and conditioning workout that is made up of functional movement performed at a high intensity level.
When did Kayleigh start lifting weights?
Kayleigh’s dad, who lives in England, enjoyed doing Crossfit and he took her along with him to give it a try in 2015.
“I went with him to a Crossfit gym and I loved it,” she explains.
“So I started doing Crossfit here in Perth for three years.
“Within Crossfit they have Olympic weightlifting and I soon started focussing on that.
“I didn’t really like cardio, I preferred using weights.
“I really enjoyed the Olympic weightlifting so decided to take part in a competition.”
Olympic weightlifting is a sport in which athletes compete in lifting a barbell loaded with weight plates from the ground to overhead.
The aim is to successfully lift the heaviest weights.
Kayleigh competed in the Scottish open for Olympic weightlifting to see if it was something she liked.
But while she enjoyed the competition and came second, scooping an award, she felt she wasn’t very good at Olympic weightlifting.
Yet, she enjoyed lifting weights so decided to just focus on that.
‘Strongman’ classes for women
Kayleigh discovered there were weight lifting classes for women being run by Paul Garvie at Granite Strength and Fitness gym, based at the former Ice Factory premises in Perth.
“He did Olympic weightlifting classes, but he also did Strongman classes for women.
“In those classes you did the farmer’s carry and flipping tyres. They were really popular so I joined up and I loved it.
“That gym then closed and Paul opened the Omega MMA strength and conditioning gym in Perthshire in 2019.
“But then there was the pandemic so it had to shut.
“When it re-opened after the lockdown, that is when I first walked through the door.”
Powerlifting with Irene at Perthshire gym
Joining the Omega gym proved to be life-changing for Kayleigh.
It was here she discovered powerlifting.
“When I joined Omega I met my coach Irene ‘Tink’ Hallyburton.
“She is a powerlifter and runs the Omega Barbell Women’s Powerlifting Group.
“Tink represented her country at the 2019 Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in Canada.
“Initially I started going along to the group to just gain strength and stay fit.
“But I found her to be really inspiring.
“And it was when I went to watch her lift in a competition that I knew I wanted to compete as a powerlifter.”
She continues: “I have learned so much.
“She taught me a lot about technique and she has the ability to know what you are capable of, even if you don’t think you can do it.
“I love powerlifting so much.
“It’s amazing to be surrounded by strong women who lift heavy weights.”
What are the benefits of powerlifting?
Powerlifting offers a range of physical health benefits including increased strength and muscle mass.
Kayleigh says it also boosts mental health.
“Improved physical health is a huge part of powerlifting.
“But it’s also a nice community to be part of. It’s nice to get together with everyone being active – it is great for your mental health.
“It also helps if you want to lose weight because building muscle increases your metabolism.”
Qualifying for Commonwealth powerlifting championships
Kayleigh took part in her first Scottish powerlifting competition in November 2022 in Edinburgh.
She competes in the sub 52 kilo category (meaning her weight is under 52 kilos).
“How it works in powerlifting is that all your weights are added together,” she says.
“So your best weights in the back squat, the bench press and the deadlift are all added together to get an overall total.
“And in that competition in 2022, I had a total of 245.5.
“A year later, I competed again in the same competition, this time held at Aeternum Crossfit in Lochgelly, and I left with an increased weights total of 260.
“I achieved second place.”
In June and July this year, Kayleigh took part in two Scottish powerlifting championships and in both, she achieved a bench press of 60 kilos.
She came first in the bench-only event in the June championship and third in the July Scottish classic, achieving medals for both.
As a result of these successes, she was invited to put herself forward for the 2024 Commonwealth Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships in South Africa.
And to her delight, Kayleigh was selected.
“I qualified for the bench-only event at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in South Africa and I am so excited.
This will be my first international competition and it might be the biggest thing I will ever do.”
Family support ahead of Commonwealth event
Kayleigh is thankful for the support of her family and friends.
“My mum loves the fact that I do weight lifting. She is really proud of me.
“My family, as well as my work colleagues, have been so supportive.”
Kayleigh’s partner Mike Kidd, 31, is also very proud of her.
“What makes things difficult for me in terms of diet is that I am vegan.
“I take a lot of supplements and eat a lot of protein – I have to make sure my protein intake is high.
“But Mike always makes sure I am well fed and he is always there for me.
“I wouldn’t be able to do this without his support.”
A passion for powerlifting
Kayleigh is set to focus on her training for the next few weeks and has no expectations for what she might be able to achieve.
She adds: “I am the fittest and strongest I have ever been and I have found something I think I will stick at for a long time.
“I have a passion for powerlifting and I just can’t imagine my life without it now.”
As Kayleigh’s participation in the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships is self-funded, she is looking for sponsorship to help her cover the cost of the trip.
Anyone wanting to make a donation can visit her gofundme page.
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