A university student who first developed a passion for lifting weights after watching Eddie Hall videos has gone on to win two gold medals while representing England on the international stage.
Hasan Amjad, from Wolverhampton, enjoyed a remarkable outing at the 2026 Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in Canada, securing gold in both the under-105kg junior men’s equipped full-power and equipped bench press categories, per BBC News.
And the Keele University student has credited former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall as a major inspiration behind his journey into the sport.
Hall, who famously won the World’s Strongest Man competition in 2017, has inspired countless aspiring strength athletes through his achievements.
Amjad is now among those who have turned that inspiration into success of their own.
The computer science student first entered a powerlifting competition in July 2022, where he recorded an impressive 250kg (551lbs) deadlift.
From there, his progress continued as he established several West Midlands junior records before qualifying for the English Championships.
He subsequently won his category to become a national champion, securing his place at the Commonwealth Championships.
For Amjad, however, the opportunity to represent England meant just as much as the medals themselves.
Standing on the podium in September and hearing the national anthem was particularly memorable, especially given how much earlier the achievement arrived than he had anticipated.
“I thought I’d reach that point in my mid-30s, so to have done it much earlier is very satisfying,” the student said.
But his journey hasn’t been without its difficulties.
Currently in his final year studying computer science at Keele University, Amjad admitted that balancing academic responsibilities with the demands of powerlifting has sometimes tested his commitment.
“I found staying motivated to keep on powerlifting while studying at university to be a very tough challenge,” Amjad said.
“I had plenty of self-doubt creep in when I went through periods of poor training, where I knew I wasn’t performing at my best.”
There were even periods when he felt powerlifting didn’t have “much of a space” in his university routine.
However, joining West Midlands Powerlifting Club proved to be a significant turning point in his development.
Training alongside accomplished athletes helped him realise that reaching the highest levels of the sport was a realistic ambition.
“Being surrounded by national and world champions was something that really gave me self-belief that I could one day become one too,” he said.
His achievements have also been recognised by Keele University, which awarded him a sports scholarship for the current academic year.
Despite already collecting two Commonwealth gold medals, Amjad has no intention of stopping there.
The Wolverhampton athlete is now targeting the opportunity to represent Team GB in 2027 while completing his degree.
And for anyone hoping to follow a similar path, his message centres on consistency, particularly when motivation is difficult to find.
“Be able to show up on your best days but also still have the means to show up on your bad days and get the work done,” he said.
From watching Eddie Hall lift extraordinary weights to standing on an international podium himself, Amjad’s journey shows just how far inspiration, dedication and perseverance can take an aspiring athlete.
Featured image credit: Hasan Amjad / Instagram
