Underdown Hits Overdrive to Take Second British Title

Overall Standings

England’s Lucy Underdown was in imperious form on Saturday night as she swept to a 6-point victory to clinch her second Britain’s Strongest Woman title. In similar fashion to last year’s result, current World’s Strongest Woman, Rebecca Roberts, placed second overall, despite struggling with some ill health. Master’s World’s Strongest Woman, Naomi Hadley, claimed third to make her first Giants Live podium!

Underdown brought an all-round package to this contest and was never out of the top three in any of the five events. “I’m not just a deadlifter,” she told the York Barbican crowd; “I have improved in all my events.” In fact, she suffered a rare defeat in the opening Deadlift Ladder at the hands of 2018 World’s Strongest Woman, Andrea Thompson. Placing 4^th overall, Andrea was in a class of her own in the static events, taking an easy win in the Log Press for Reps as well as the Deadlift.

As the current women’s world record holder, with a 325kg lift to her name, Lucy was expected to come out on top in Event 1. Thompson, however, looked super focused and sped through the four bars in an incredible 16.54 seconds, using no straps and wasting no time setting up to lift the barbells. Underdown was exactly a second slower, with Claire Myler, the 50+ Master’s World’s Strongest Woman, herself a 300kg lifter, taking third in 20.64 seconds, just over a second quicker than Rebecca Roberts. Hadley and Donna Moore, who were 5^th and 6^th respectively, were the only other women to lift all four bars.

Underdown repeated her second place in the Deadlift Ladder with a runner-up finish in the Shield Carry, narrowly eclipsing 3-time Ireland’s Strongest Woman Gemma Moore’s 52m effort. It was Naomi Hadley who dominated this event, becoming the only woman to complete three full lengths of the 20m course and winning the event by nearly 8m. After such a strong start, Thompson could only place 10^th, whilst 3-time World’s Strongest Woman, Donna Moore was just ahead in 9^th.

After taking two 4^th places in the opening events, Wales’s reigning World’s Strongest Woman, Rebecca Roberts, showed the crowd what she was made of in the 280kg Super Yoke. Blitzing the 20m course in just 10.90 seconds, nearly 2.5 sec quicker than Andrea Thomspon who many expected to win this event. It was an especially impressive result for Roberts who had taken considerable time to get back to her feet following an exhausting Shield Carry. Underdown placed 3^rd, ahead of Gemma Moore, whilst Grace Hilbourne, the current England’s Strongest Woman, was forced to withdraw following a suspected muscle tear from Event 1.

The evening’s 4^th event saw a change of place as the lifting platforms were brought out by the crew for the Log Press for Reps. At 90kg, the implement was at the top end of many of the competitors’ capabilities, with half the field achieving one rep or less. Donna Moore had her best result of the night with an impressive 5-reps using her split jerk, but it was Annabelle Chapman who set the early pace. With her young daughter watching eagerly from the sidelines, she racked up a superb 7-reps in her first major return to competition following her break.

Underdown, who is better known for her pulling power than her overhead prowess, looked to have plenty of upper body strength as she pressed out 6-reps with minimal leg drive. That was good enough for 3^rd place as Gemma Moore no repped. Former Log world record holder, Andrea Thompson, was the only woman to better Chapman’s score, making the 200lb implement look like a toothpick. She totalled 8-reps with ease and was just timed out on her 9^th to take an impressive second event win.

With just the Sandbag Medley left, Underdown held a 4-point advantage over Thompson and Roberts who were tied for second place on 38-points. Three points behind was Naomi Hadley who was comfortably clear of 5^th placed Claire Myler and very much still in with a chance of making the podium, should either Andrea or Rebecca falter.

With four hamstring-heavy events in their legs, the Sandbag Medley was a predictably gruelling affair with just three athletes completing the course. Donna Moore rounded off her night with an epic battle to load the final bag that must have lasted at least twenty agonizing seconds, only for it to be finally loaded a fraction of a second after the whistle.

Hadley and Roberts went in the penultimate heat and were chasing the time set by Scotland’s Nicola Ann Bennett of 48.79 seconds. It was Roberts who started faster, leading through the first bag and as she dropped her second over the barrier. From there she seemed to hit a wall, and was unable to lift the sack a second time as Hadley seized the initiative to complete the course in 57.50 seconds. Roberts’ fast time for three completed loads assured her a second-place finish, whilst Hadley’s fate would hinge on Andrea Thompson’s time in the final heat against Underdown.

With overall victory in her sights, Lucy made no mistakes and produced an assured performance to take second in the event, behind Bennett, and secure back-to-back British titles. Thompson, meanwhile, who had been in brilliant form in three of the four events, struggled with the sacks and stopped after two loads, knowing she couldn’t beat Hadley’s result. Her performance was deserving of a podium place, but Naomi had shown greater consistency across all five events and looked thrilled to stand beside Roberts and Underdown to receive her trophy.

Roberts certainly did not appear to be at her best but battled gamely for her runner-up spot. The hugely appreciative crowd would have expected nothing less from a woman who has won the world title three times and is the current European champion. She will have to wait at least another year to reclaim the British title she won back in 2023 and there’s little doubt a competitor of her brilliance will do so at some stage.

For Lucy Underdown this was a hugely significant result: Not only did she defeat the incumbent World’s Strongest Woman, but she produced a tremendously consistent performance, displaying no weaknesses. She looked more mobile than ever, with huge static power and slick execution across all five events. Up to this point she has enjoyed an enormously successful career in Strongwoman, but in this form, there are surly more titles on the horizon!

Britain’s Strongest Woman 2025 will still be available to stream through www.officialstrongman.com

Event Results

Event 1: MIRAFIT Deadlift Ladder

Bar weights: 190kg, 210kg, 230kg, 250kg, 75-seconds time limit

Event 2: SBD Shield Carry

Shield weight: 130kg, max distance, no time limit

Event 3: VITAKICK Super Yoke

Yoke weight: 280kg, 20m course, 60-second time limit

Event 4: BADRHINO Log Press for Reps

Log weight: 90kg, 60-second time limit

Event 5: CASTLE WATER Sandbag Medley

Sandbag weights: 2 x 100kg, 20m course, hurdle at 10m, 60-second time limit