Publish date: 16 June 2026
Northumbria pharmacist to compete for England at Commonwealth powerlifting championships
Caitlin Baxter, one of our clinical pharmacists, is celebrating an incredible achievement – winning gold in her category at the English Powerlifting Championships and being selected to represent England at the Commonwealth Championships in Winnipeg, Canada this September.
Her journey into powerlifting began seven years ago at university, where she discovered the weightlifting club and the supportive community that came with it, which sparked a passion that’s grown ever since.
After her first competition in 2020, she was hooked. Since then, she’s gone on to compete at 22 national and international competitions, including competing as part of the Junior Great Britain team at World and European Championships for three consecutive years.
More recently, she took gold in the bench press at the European Championships in Malta and secured another gold at the English Open – earning her place on the England team.
Balancing a career in the NHS with elite sport takes commitment. Working as a pharmacist four days a week, she heads straight to training after work, maintaining a disciplined routine of structured training, recovery, and meal prep.
Caitlin’s dedication has led to impressive personal bests of a 170kg back squat, 116kg bench press, and 175kg deadlift – with even bigger goals in sight.
Working for the trust has helped shape her mindset too: “It makes you appreciate your body and what it can do – and I feel really supported working here. Everyone is really invested in how I’m getting on.”
With the Commonwealth Championships just a few months away, Caitlin is now deep in training, focusing on making the most of her first opportunity to compete for England.
We’re incredibly proud of you Caitlin. Good luck and we’ll be cheering you on the whole way!