Aidan Connealy competing for Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland · Commonwealth athlete

Aidan
Connealy.

National-record holder, national champion and Northern Ireland international. Building towards Winnipeg 2026 - with bigger ambitions beyond it.

21 years oldNI national champion2026 Winnipeg selected
Support

Credibility at a glance

Results,
not hype.

The numbers establish the standard. The more important story is how quickly a first-time competitor became a national champion and international athlete.

295 kg

Junior deadlift record

Under 105 kg national record

2025

National champion

Gold at Nationals and the Spring Classic

10th

International finish

Commonwealth Championships, South Africa

2026

Selected again

Winnipeg, Canada

"The record matters because it proves the direction of travel. It is not the finish line."

Current competition total720 kgVerify the full record ↗

Before the platform

Strength started
in a garden shed.

I did not begin powerlifting with a national record in mind. I began because I was obsessed with getting stronger and proving to myself that I could keep improving.

Growing up, I often felt weaker and less powerful than the people around me, both inside and outside sport. Strength training gave me something honest: if I showed up, learned and worked consistently, I could change. More than six years ago, during Covid, that work started with whatever equipment I had in our garden shed.

Aidan Connealy focused during competition preparation
01Curiosity became discipline.
During CovidThe garden shed

Training began as a personal challenge: learn more, work harder and become stronger than I was yesterday.

January 2024The commitment

I finally committed fully to powerlifting-specific training, with a close friend coaching me for free. I will always be grateful that he believed in me early.

March 2024The first platform

Two months later I entered my first competition. It turned private ambition into a path I wanted to pursue seriously.

NowThe bigger goal

National champion. Northern Ireland athlete. Still ambitious enough to want the world stage next.

Why Northern Ireland

Small country.
Big statement.

Representing Northern Ireland is a huge honour. We do not always receive attention beyond local news and football, but that does not mean we should ever be counted out. I want to show that a small country is capable of big things - and bring more eyes to the athletes doing the work here.

Aidan Connealy representing Northern Ireland internationally

Why Winnipeg

More than
another meet.

This is a chance to compete alongside, learn from and build relationships with some of the best powerlifters in the world - including athletes with World Championship experience. The standard is several levels above a local competition. It also brings together two things I have wanted for years: visiting Canada and doing what I love on an international platform.

Beyond powerlifting

A person a brand
can actually know.

I bring the same curiosity and commitment to the rest of my life. I am not interested in simply knowing that something works - I need to understand why.

01Software engineer

Apprentice software engineer at BT with a genuine love of programming and problem-solving.

02Powerlifting coach

Helping other lifters understand their training and make progress of their own.

03Farm roots

Raised on a pig farm and still regularly involved - hard work was never an abstract idea.

04Curious by nature

Walks, drives, animals, food, friends and an unapologetic love of Star Wars.

Long-term ambitionCompete at the World Championships.

Progress with a destination

Still early.
Already moving.

From a first competition in March 2024 to a second Northern Ireland selection in 2026. Each season has opened a bigger door.

  1. 01

    2024

    South Africa · Northern Ireland debut

    The first platform

    Entered a first competition in March, placed third at the Spring Classic and earned a place on the Northern Ireland Commonwealth team.

  2. 02

    2025

    2× gold

    Champion season

    Gold at the Spring Classic. Gold at the Northern Ireland National Championships. A clear statement that the debut was only the beginning.

  3. 03

    2026

    Canada selection

    Record. Winnipeg. What next?

    Set a 295 kg junior national deadlift record, placed third overall at Nationals across every age and weight class, and earned another opportunity to represent Northern Ireland.

The next platform

Northern Ireland
to Winnipeg.

The selection is earned. The next challenge is turning that opportunity into a properly prepared international performance.

Route activeCommonwealth Championships - Canada
Animated route from Northern Ireland to Winnipeg Northern IrelandHomeWinnipegNext platform

Choose your impact

Two ways to
power the platform.

Support Aidan directly as an individual athlete, or back the full Northern Ireland Powerlifting team through the federation.

Direct athlete partnership

Put your brand
behind the climb.

Aidan is on the route to the Commonwealth Championships in Winnipeg. Partner directly with a disciplined athlete who already performs internationally, communicates professionally and is still visibly progressing.

A personal partnership can include

  • An agreed announcement that explains what the partnership makes possible
  • Original photography and relevant training, preparation or travel updates
  • Association with a Northern Ireland athlete competing internationally
  • Clear deliverables and a practical follow-up after the collaboration
  • Flexible support through funding, useful services or approved equipment

Looking to support the full team instead?

NIPF sponsorship is managed separately by the federation. Open the official NIPF Instagram post

Current Instagram snapshot

A growing audience.
A bigger shared reach.

Personal content is supported by collaboration with Northern Ireland Powerlifting, whose platform is followed by powerlifters around the world.

1,420Personal followers

Current Instagram audience

23KContent views

Across the last 60 days

684Profile visits

Across the last 60 days

4,065NIPF followers

Available through relevant federation collaboration

What support makes possible

Help that goes
directly into competing.

Support can be financial, practical, product-based or service-based. It does not need to cover the entire trip to make a real difference.

01Travel

Flights, checked baggage and local transport to reach the international platform.

02Accommodation

Competition hotel costs and the stays required around travel and weigh-in.

03Competition costs

Entry fees, federation requirements and other event-related expenses.

04Preparation

Physiotherapy, sports massage, recovery and practical performance support.

05Kit and media

Approved equipment, training clothing and useful photography support.

Clear use of supportA partner can choose a specific cost to support. The agreed purpose will be recorded clearly, with reasonable confirmation of how that support was used.

Examples, not rigid packages

Build the partnership
around the fit.

The best collaboration is one that is genuinely useful to the partner and the athlete. Deliverables are agreed before anything is announced.

01
Fund a flight

A public announcement, agreed training or travel photography, social recognition and website acknowledgement.

02
Support preparation

A physio, recovery or coaching partner can be recognised through relevant training content and progress updates.

03
Help with the trip

A hotel or transport partner can be connected directly to the journey it helped make possible.

04
Provide useful product

Approved equipment or clothing used authentically in training, with clear and honest partner recognition.

What a partner can receive

Useful visibility.
Clear expectations.

  • 01Public announcement

    A clear post explaining the partnership and what the support made possible.

  • 02Agreed logo visibility

    Placement on selected training, travel or media clothing where federation rules allow.

  • 03Original photography

    Useful photographs featuring the agreed product, clothing, service or location.

  • 04Social recognition

    Tags, mentions, thank-you posts and selected preparation or travel updates.

  • 05Website acknowledgement

    Partner name, logo or acknowledgement on the athlete website for an agreed period.

  • 06Reporting and collaboration

    A practical follow-up on delivered activity and a tailored idea where it genuinely fits.

Tell me what you can offer. I will build a clear proposal around the fit.

Start a conversation

Official NIPF sponsorship offer

Team NI · Winnipeg 2026