hey girly! My name is Isobel David, and I’m an international-level powerlifter who has represented Great Britain three times on the international platform.

My journey into powerlifting is a little bittersweet. I grew up as a gymnast, training and competing from the age of five, as a result sport was always a huge part of my identity. But when I was fourteen, I was diagnosed with an eating disorder and had to give up gymnastics. Losing that part of my life left me feeling completely lost and unsure of who I was without a sport to dedicate myself to.

When I first started going to the gym, my mindset wasn’t healthy- I was focused on becoming the smallest version of myself. Over time, though, I realised that what I truly wanted was to be strong again, both physically and mentally. That’s when I decided to sign up for my first powerlifting competition, just over two years ago. From the moment I stepped on that platform, I fell in love with the sport.

Since then, I’ve gone on to win my first national title as a -63kg sub-junior, which qualified me for my first World Championships. But more importantly, I’ve found a sport that’s helped me rebuild not just my strength, but my confidence and self-worth.

Now, I want to use my journey to inspire other women to stop being afraid of taking up space- to understand that there is so much beauty in being strong. Strength is not something to hide or be apologetic about, it’s something to be proud of.