A Powerlifting Story About Women’s Strength and Identity

Women's strength is finally being celebrated, and more women are stepping into gyms, lifting weights and rewriting what it means to be strong. Research suggests a notable rise in women’s participation in strength training, driven by physical, mental and long-term health benefits, making stories like this especially powerful.

Introducing… Moanne Zolario

Our talented French undergraduate sport scholar began her journey into powerlifting after starting her LLB in English & French Law in 2024. Studying at a university ranked 12th overall in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2026 and whose law programmes are consistently recognised among the top in national and global rankings, she balances demanding academics with a growing passion for strength sport.

It’s not just about lifting weights. It’s about confidence, resilience, identity, and the cultural shift in which women claim space in traditionally male-dominated strength sports. The University of Essex’s Performance Sport environment supports academic ambition and athletic development to mutually drive and thrive.

It all began as a need for self-improvement

... and turned into a new direction that unlocked physical and emotional growth.

“After spending my entire childhood and adolescence involved in competitive sports. After playing handball, gymnastics, and basketball, I felt the urge to become a more complete and polyvalent athlete. I decided, three years ago, to explore a new direction and start strength training in a commercial gym.”

The progress was impossible to ignore

“The physical changes were satisfying, but the strength I gained was impossible to overlook. It revealed capabilities I had never fully acknowledged and encouraged me to push further. Two years into this journey, driven by ambition and a desire to prove I could excel in multiple disciplines, I turned toward strength sports, and powerlifting became the one I wanted to invest in.”

Beyond strength lay more benefits

“What I gained from this discipline reached beyond muscle or technique; strength training sharpened different parts of my personality. Progress strengthened my confidence in every area of life; I became more resilient, perseverant, ambitious, and disciplined. It helped me face challenges with increasing ease, all while offering relief from other responsibilities.”

Connecting personal meaning to ambition

“As my commitment deepened, so did my potential. I wanted recognition for a skill outside my academics, but that carries equal weight in my life. Powerlifting became a place where my personality and my goals could align.”

Encouraging women in strength sports

“I also became increasingly aware of the way women’s bodies are evaluated and often reduced to aesthetics alone. Recent data from Women In Sport revealed encouraging statistics: participation in gym activities rose by 12% over the previous year, marking one of the largest increases across all activity types, and fitness and leisure facilities reported that 53% of their users were women. In a society that continues to underestimate women, seeing more women step into these spaces and discover the strength within their own bodies is something I take genuine pride in.”

Essex is a place to grow

“This journey has been shaped by the support I receive as a student-athlete through the University of Essex’s performance sport programme. I am truly grateful to belong to an environment that invests in both my academic and athletic development. The university has provided training facilities, funding, competition assistance, mentorship, and countless forms of practical support that allow me and multiple other student-athletes to grow without having to choose between two essential parts of our identities.”

Feeling inspired? Discover how we support athletes in strength and sport development.

Follow our student athletes’ journey on Instagram @uniessexperform

Sports scholarships and bursaries

We are committed to supporting and developing high performance athletes. Find out whether you could be eligible for a sports scholarship or bursary, plus a range of additional benefits too when you join the University of Essex.