Sylwia powers ahead for Britain European and World Championships are next up
A Paisley powerlifter who only took up the sport four years ago is seeing her career go from strength to strength.
Sylwia Stepien came second in the British Powerlifting Championships and will be representing Britain at the European and World Powerlifting Championships in 2019.
The 30-year-old, who is originally from Poland, started powerlifting when she moved to Scotland and was looking for work.
She said: “After a year of living between Poland and Scotland, I decided to pack my bags and my dog and move to Scotland.
“For about six months I couldn’t find a job, even though I was very qualified and experienced. As I had lots of time to spare, I started going to the gym every day.
“My boyfriend was teaching me everything he knew about powerlifting and I fell in love with it.”
Sylwia started working as a personal trainer at Paisley’s Planet Bodybuild, which closed in October last year.
She said: “It was a gym where my boyfriend and I trained all the time.
“I loved this place – the people, atmosphere and equipment. It was there that my dreams of powerlifting began.”
Sylwia, who now works as a personal trainer, decided to enter competitions and won the first one she entered in April this year, the GPC GB Scottish Championship60kg body weight class.
As a result, she was invited to the British finals, which were held in Clydebank earlier this month.
She said: “I was nervous but loved every minute of the event.
“There were tears in my eyes when I didn’t pull my last deadlift.
“I am really looking forward to European and Wor l d Championships to hopefully achieve further success.”
When asked about what her family thought about Sylwia training to become a professional weightlifter, she said: “They were concerned that I would eventually develop a male physique.
“This, however, gave me more drive to achieve everything I could.
“They are very proud of my achievements.”
Sylwia explained that, in the beginning, training was all about improving her body image.
However, when she went from weightlifting to powerlifting, her goals changed.
She said: “You can become easily obsessed with this type of training, but I am certainly not following that path.
“I love to stay in shape, but I am careful.
“I will retire aged 35 – this way I will have achieved my goals.”