What is your sport and position?

Powerlifting (squat, bench, deadlift) in the under 84kg weight class.

What made you pick your sport?

During my undergraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen, the Aberdeen University Weightlifting Club president at the time saw me train at ASV and convinced me to try out powerlifting with the club. I tried it out, was very intimidated and swore I’d never return. He saw me train at ASV again and peer pressured me to try again – this time successfully! I competed at a small mock competition two weeks after joining the club, won best female lifter, and realised powerlifting is a sport I have potential in.

If you didn’t do your sport, what would you do and why?

Still spend time at the gym, but aim to leg press, hack squat and lat pulldown as much as I can for 5-8 reps – I love my accessory work and pushing a bit extra to beat what I thought I could do. I also enjoy doing handicrafts and would definitely knit more as I would have more time.

Why did you choose to study at RGU?

Physiotherapy at RGU is highly ranked in the UK, and after completing my undergraduate degree in sports science at the University of Aberdeen, I had several friends in Aberdeen already, and I wanted to stay here.

How do you think the sport scholar program will help you progress as a student athlete?

The program offers academic flexibility, which I believe can be a big help in terms of accommodations around placements. The program also brings together athletes from different sports, highlighting the community aspect. The sports scholar program also adds a couple of extra people in my corner supporting me to balance busy MSc studies with a time-demanding sport.

What is your greatest sporting achievement?

Winning Division 1 at ABS Series 20 in Glasgow in February 2025. The prep had gone fairly well, I felt strong on the day, and even though there were kilos to spare on squat and deadlift, we played it well to secure the win, which was the main goal.

Who is your sporting role model and why?

Simone Biles. She has faced countless challenges throughout her life and career but keeps going. I also think quite often women can be overlooked in sport but she is someone whose skills and resilience are admired and recognised by everyone.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from your sport?

Hard to choose just one! Probably to control the controlables. Especially in competition prep and at competition things that are out of our control can happen. I can’t make a stressful exam disappear, but I can manage my time well from the start of the term to make sure I can train and go to bed early enough to recover well. I can’t retake a missed third squat attempt, but I can control how the miss affects my mindset going into bench and deadlift.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Working as a physio with international coaching and hopefully also competing experience in powerlifting.

Favourite sporting memory?

Placing third at the Irish Junior Nationals in 2023. I lived in Dublin for a year at the start of my powerlifting journey and joined a club with an amazing atmosphere. At the competition, everything came together extremely well, and I had all my teammates supporting me.