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Posted On: October 8th 2026, 06:08 am
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COMMONWEALTHS RECAP 🇦🇺
Angelica Fajardo — 5th in the U63s and Commonwealth deadlift GOLD!
Squat: 160kg
Bench: 80kg
Deadlift: 207.5kg 🥇
Total: 447.5kg (+2.5kg)
Gels put herself in the best possible position: a smooth prep, well-managed weight cut and organised travel. Bring her first international comp and a decent gap between her nominated total and the top four, our focus was on fighting for an individual deadlift medal.
We matched her best squat despite switching from stiff to soft sleeves. Bench was moving well, so we took a shot at 85kg. It wasn’t there on the day—in hindsight, 82.5kg would’ve been the better call.
Then came deadlifts!
England had a nominated deadlift of 215kg against Gels’ best of 207.5kg. After their 205kg second attempt, we anticipated they’d use their third attempt to pull into first from fourth place.
New Zealand’s final deadlift was the deciding factor. If they missed, England would only need 215kg to move into first, and we had a 217.5kg card ready for Gels. When NZ made their lift, England needed 220kg.
Watching the second attempts closely, we backed our assessment that 220kg was a big ask. We chose 207.5kg to give Gels the strongest chance of securing deadlift gold—and it paid off.
Our original plan was 212.5kg for the Australian record. Could we have taken it? Possibly. But missing would have cost us the gold. In that moment, we prioritised the medal over the kilos.
A big takeaway from international competition: athletes are fighting for different things. Understanding their priorities helps you recognise opportunities for your own athlete. We stayed focused on our goal while the battle unfolded around us.
Huge thanks to assistant coaches @barbell_kay and @jacobsofianos for running the numbers and mapping out the scenarios, and @lulnex and @slackpullsquid for their help from the crowd. Those final deadlift rounds move quickly, and having a team makes a massive difference.
Proud of you Gels! We made it all the way from the commercial gym to the commonwealth stage. What a journey 💛
Angelica Fajardo — 5th in the U63s and Commonwealth deadlift GOLD!
Squat: 160kg
Bench: 80kg
Deadlift: 207.5kg 🥇
Total: 447.5kg (+2.5kg)
Gels put herself in the best possible position: a smooth prep, well-managed weight cut and organised travel. Bring her first international comp and a decent gap between her nominated total and the top four, our focus was on fighting for an individual deadlift medal.
We matched her best squat despite switching from stiff to soft sleeves. Bench was moving well, so we took a shot at 85kg. It wasn’t there on the day—in hindsight, 82.5kg would’ve been the better call.
Then came deadlifts!
England had a nominated deadlift of 215kg against Gels’ best of 207.5kg. After their 205kg second attempt, we anticipated they’d use their third attempt to pull into first from fourth place.
New Zealand’s final deadlift was the deciding factor. If they missed, England would only need 215kg to move into first, and we had a 217.5kg card ready for Gels. When NZ made their lift, England needed 220kg.
Watching the second attempts closely, we backed our assessment that 220kg was a big ask. We chose 207.5kg to give Gels the strongest chance of securing deadlift gold—and it paid off.
Our original plan was 212.5kg for the Australian record. Could we have taken it? Possibly. But missing would have cost us the gold. In that moment, we prioritised the medal over the kilos.
A big takeaway from international competition: athletes are fighting for different things. Understanding their priorities helps you recognise opportunities for your own athlete. We stayed focused on our goal while the battle unfolded around us.
Huge thanks to assistant coaches @barbell_kay and @jacobsofianos for running the numbers and mapping out the scenarios, and @lulnex and @slackpullsquid for their help from the crowd. Those final deadlift rounds move quickly, and having a team makes a massive difference.
Proud of you Gels! We made it all the way from the commercial gym to the commonwealth stage. What a journey 💛
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