29 September 2026
"Caitlin has worked incredibly hard chasing her dreams, so the gold medal is very well deserved"
Caitlin Baxter, centre (Photo by Clean Strength Media)
An elite athlete from the University of Sunderland has been crowned 2026 Commonwealth Powerlifting Champion after a stunning performance in Canada.
Representing England in the Open 57kg category, Team Sunderland's Caitlin Baxter finished first overall at the 2026 Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships, taking gold in both the squat and bench press before securing third place in the deadlift.
Alongside winning the overall Commonwealth title, Caitlin, who studies Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy at the University, also produced a number of standout performances.
Her 113.5kg bench press not only won her the individual bench press competition but also set a new Open Commonwealth record in the 57kg category.
She also produced a 177.5kg deadlift, which earned her a bronze medal in the discipline and represented a new personal best and also set a new record, establishing a new benchmark for her category across the Yorkshire and north-east region.
Her three best lifts, a 170kg squat, 113.5kg bench press and 177.5kg deadlift, combined to give her a huge 461kg total at a bodyweight of just 56.08kg.
About her win, Caitlin, 25, from Newcastle, said: “I can’t quite begin to describe how ecstatic I am. This was my tenth international competition, but my first ever Commonwealths and win for the Open English Women’s Team, so it all feels incredibly special.
“There was a huge amount of hard work involved in my preparation for this event with balancing work, training, and studies for my diploma. It was therefore very rewarding to see it all come together and successfully reach my goals of winning my category and contributing team points. This resulted in the Women’s Open English Team placing second, which made the achievement even more special.
“I am so grateful for all the support leading up to the competition from my coaches, family and friends, Team Sunderland and the Elite Athlete Scheme who I am very proud to be a part of.
"By nature, powerlifting is an individual sport, but with such amazing support around me, it definitely feels like a team effort."
Laura Hockaday, Sport Development Assistant Manager at the University of Sunderland, said "We're so proud of Caitlin's achievements, to become Commonwealth champion is an amazing accolade and Caitlin has worked incredibly hard chasing her dreams, so the gold medal is very well deserved.
"We're delighted we were able to support her in achieving this success."
For more information about Team Sunderland, click here.
For the Elite Athlete Scheme, contact team@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).