THE PHIL RICHARD CLASSIC 2026
On 7 February 2026, Welsh Powerlifting opened the new season with the Phil Richard Classic – our first divisional of the year, held at our new venue U-FIT in Cardiff and dedicated to the memory of Welsh powerlifting legend and Hall of Fame lifter Phil Richard.
The day brought together 67 lifters, including 22 first-time competitors, and saw 28 Welsh records broken. It was exactly the kind of busy, loud, and emotional competition that felt fitting for Phil’s name: packed flights, big lifting, new faces, and plenty of reasons to be proud of Welsh powerlifting.
Best Lifters – GL Points
Women
Jodi Beynon – 94.05 GL
Ayishah Roberts – 87.84 GL
Aleksandra Zawada – 87.08 GL
A stacked women’s field saw Jodi Beynon take the top spot with a huge 94.05 GL. Ayishah Roberts and Aleksandra Zawada rounded out the podium, both pushing into the high-80s on GL and showing the depth of talent now coming through on the women’s side in Wales.
Men
Khaledur Rahman – 84.17 GL
Corey Boundford – 83.54 GL
Jack De Guia – 83.54 GL
On the men’s side, Khaledur Rahman led the way with 84.17 GL, with Corey Boundford and Jack De Guia locked in at 83.54 GL. A tight men’s best-lifter race, and records going all day made for exactly the kind of competitive atmosphere we hoped for at the first divisional of the year.
A New Home: U-FIT Cardiff
This was our first competition at U-FIT in Cardiff, and we’re really pleased with how the venue delivered on the day: plenty of space, great viewing for spectators, and a platform environment that let lifters focus on their job. The inaugural competition at U-FIT has set a strong foundation, and we’re excited about future developments and improvements there as Welsh Powerlifting continues to grow.
Remembering Phil Richard
The 2026 Phil Richard Classic honours the legacy of Phil Richard, whose sudden passing shortly before his 53rd birthday deeply affected the lifting community in Wales and beyond.
Phil began competing at 13 years old and went on to become one of Wales’ most accomplished powerlifters. His competitive career stretched across more than four decades without missing a single year, and his achievements are remarkable: multiple Junior and Masters World and European titles, Commonwealth and British championships, and representation of Great Britain at the 2005 World Games and the UK Arnold. In 2018, he was inducted into the European Powerlifting Federation Hall of Fame.
But Phil’s impact ran far beyond his own numbers. He was a constant presence at meets across Wales and GB – coaching, spotting, loading, refereeing, and supporting lifters at every level. His energy, generosity, and genuine love for the sport helped shape and inspire generations of Welsh lifters. Naming this competition in his honour is a small way of recognising just how much he gave back to the sport and the community.
Supporting the Rocky Road Foundation
This year’s Phil Richard Classic partnered with the Rocky Road Foundation, founded by Olympian Natasha Perdue to promote mental fitness in sport. The Foundation focuses on supporting athletes through the highs and lows of their sporting journeys, with guidance from a team of multi-agency professionals.
Through entries and donations on the day, the meet raised £300 for the Rocky Road Foundation. That money will go directly towards helping athletes access support, education and mentoring around mental fitness – a cause that sits very naturally alongside Phil’s lifelong commitment to helping others succeed both on and off the platform.
Thank You – From WPA
A big thank you to U-FIT for hosting us and helping make the first Phil Richard Classic a success. We’re excited to keep building the partnership and to bring even bigger, better competitions to the venue in the future.
As always, a huge shoutout goes to our volunteers and referees – the spotters, loaders, table crew and officials who gave up their weekends so others could lift. Without you, there is no competition.
Now it’s time to get back to training. Our next competition is the biggest of the year – the Welsh Championships – and we’re confident it will be the biggest and best yet.
From everyone at the Welsh Powerlifting Association, thank you for helping us honour Phil in the right way and for continuing to grow this sport together. Here’s to a huge Welsh Championships and a strong 2026 season.
