From crowdfunding to champion: Stephano Reid clinches world powerlifting title

The last time Eyewitness News spoke to Stephano Reid, he was seeking assistance to get to the 2025 WPC World Powerlifting Championship in Durban.

The athlete from Mossel Bay, who competes in the under-60kg category, not only represented his country but also successfully won his first world championship title.

READ: Mossel Bay's powerlifting pastry chef eyes records at world champs, appeals for support to get there

Eyewitness News spoke to him about his world championship experience.

"To be honest, my performance at Worlds wasn't my best performance. I could have done better, fuel-wise; I worked with what I had. I give glory to God for walking away world champion and with no injuries."

The 2025 WPC World Powerlifting Championship took place from 4–9 November in Durban at the Onomo Hotel. The annual event, organised by the World Powerlifting Congress, featured both tested (AWPC) and non-tested (WPC) divisions, with events in full power, bench press, and deadlift across various age and skill divisions.

Future Focus and Gratitude

Looking ahead, Reid, who is also a pastry chef at Café Gannet, is focusing on improving his technical skills.

"I want to improve on my squat and deadlift techniques. That's my focus going forward. [I need to do a] little more work on my bench. Put more work in on sticking points in the three lifts."

The 32-year-old expressed deep gratitude to those who helped him reach the competition.

"I want to thank each and every person for their help. Travelling to Worlds comes at a high cost, and your guys' help is truly appreciated. God bless you abundantly. You guys helped make a dream a reality and helped me to inspire someone out there to never let your circumstances stand in the way of your goals and dreams. I'm truly thankful for all your help. The achievement is not for me but for all of you as well."

Record-Breaking Journey

Reid's powerlifting journey began in 2003 after seeing videos of the sport on Instagram and Facebook. Already active in the gym for fitness, he transitioned to powerlifting, falling in love with the discipline the sport demanded.

The world champion previously showed his strength at national events:

Earlier this year, at the WPC National Championships, he shattered the deadlift record by lifting 232.5kg at only 60kg body weight.

In 2024, during the Metal Madness Redemption competition, Reid set a new national squat record of 170kg, a new deadlift record of 215kg, and achieved a national record total of 477.5 points for his age group in the under-60kg division.

Developing the Sport

Reid told Eyewitness News that he hopes smaller events will be sponsored to develop the sport locally.

"To develop the sport in the area, we need more support to host small events for more exposure of the sport. The more the sport gets exposed to the communities, the more attendance there will be. There is a definite growth in the sport."