Two KZN women aiming to represent SA at the Amateur World Powerlifting championships
Taneal Mitchell and Robyn Geldart, two women who discovered their passion for powerlifting, are looking to represent South Africa at the Amateur World Powerlifting (AWP) championships in
Idaho Falls, USA, in August.
It is always inspiring to see how people who discover their passions later in life can approach their dreams with vigour and determination.
Two such women are Taneal Mitchell, 48, and Robyn Geldart, 55. Mitchell started at The Natural Way gym in January 2023 under the guidance of Tarynne Cass, the gym's owner and trainer.
As Mitchell gained confidence in her training, she leapt and entered powerlifting in January 2024. She has never looked back since. In April 2024, she competed in her first amateur powerlifting competition, Clash of the Titans.
I came first in my age and weight category and set four national records in the three powerlifting disciplines: squats, bench press and deadlifts. I qualified for AWPC Nationals by achieving 115kg’s - squats, 52.5kg’s - bench press and 120kg’s - deadlift, totalling 287.5kg’s. I knew I had found something that I loved, and I had lots of hard work and dedication ahead of me, and I worked towards a big goal.
In August 2024, Mitchell went on to win gold in her age and weight category. She also broke all her previous national records and set new world records for squats—137.5 kg, 55 kg in bench press, and 135 kg in deadlifts, for 327.5 kg.
"I competed in Clash of the Titans at the end of March 2025 to qualify for Nationals. Then competed in Nationals, which was held in Gauteng in June 2025, to qualify for Worlds," said Mitchell.
Geldart, a distinguished South African powerlifter based in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), has achieved national and world records in her age and weight category. Her dedication and resilience have seen her achieve consistent excellence.
She secured multiple national titles and set records in the squat, bench press, and deadlift disciplines. Notably, at the 2024 Amateur World Powerlifting (AWP) National Championships in Durban, she achieved lifts of 112.5 kg in the squat, 55 kg in the bench press, and 137.5 kg in the deadlift, culminating in 305 kg.
In June 2025, she continued to impress at the World Powerlifting Championship (WPC) SA Nationals, recording a squat of 253.5 kg, a bench press of 132.2 kg, and a deadlift of 303.1 kg, totalling 683.4 kg. These achievements underscore her status as a leading figure in South African powerlifting.
Her journey inspires, demonstrating that age is no barrier to achieving excellence in sport.
While these incredible go-getters continue to grow in their accolades in the powerlifting world, both desire to represent South Africa at the AWPC in Idaho Falls, USA, in August 2025.
Despite their hard work in showing up for their passions, their dreams come at a cost. Entry fees, competition kits, airfares, and accommodation all add up. Both Mitchell and Geldart require financial aid to compete in the United States in August.
"My goal this year is to break my own Squat World record and the World record for Deadlifts in my age and weight category at Nationals and at World", Mitchell said.
If you want to contact Taneal Mitchell, call 061 336 4217 or email [email protected].
To help Mitchell and Geldart reach their goals, you can donate to their mission by visiting their BackaBuddy link.
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