An Isle of Wight strength athlete has been selected to represent Great Britain at the upcoming IPF World Bench Press Championships after securing silver at the 2026 SBD British National Championships.
Frank Schlepp earned his place among the nation’s top bench press athletes following a standout performance at the national event on Saturday 28th February, competing in a highly competitive category despite battling illness in the days leading up to the competition.
The result marks another important milestone in Frank’s powerlifting journey, having returned to the sport later in life and steadily progressed year by year. Through continued training and competition at national level, he has consistently improved his totals and developed his performance on the platform.
In 2025, Frank also achieved international qualification, but without financial backing he was unable to compete overseas. That experience strengthened his determination to continue improving and working towards another opportunity to represent Great Britain.
His silver medal at this year’s championships has now secured him a place on the Team GB squad for the IPF World Bench Press Championships, which are set to take place at the end of May.
Frank will represent both Great Britain and the Isle of Wight on the world stage, helping to raise the profile of strength sports within the local community.
In preparation for the international event, Frank is now focusing on his final training block and the logistics involved in competing abroad.
Like many athletes in non-Olympic strength sports, international competition is largely self-funded, meaning travel, accommodation, federation fees and preparation costs must be covered personally.
Frank and his family have launched a fundraising page to help support his journey to the World Championships. Those wishing to support can do so at: www.gofund.me/89870eb66
All funds raised will go directly towards competition-related expenses as Frank prepares to represent Great Britain later this year.
