Karenjeet Kaur Bains

Karenjeet Kaur Bains is a TV star, record-breaking athlete, motivational speaker, and advocate for diversity and inclusion. She’s a famous face known to millions as Athena on the UK primetime show "Gladiators". As the first British Sikh female powerlifter to represent Great Britain at the World and European Championships, she became a leading voice for empowerment, resilience, and representation across sport, business, and culture.

A chartered-accountant-turned-elite-athlete, Bains broke barriers in both her professional and sporting life, balancing high-level competition with a full-time career. Growing up in Warwickshire within a traditional Punjabi family, she challenged cultural and gender stereotypes to follow her passion for strength sport, inspired by her father’s bodybuilding background and her mother’s belief in education and ambition.

Bains’s engaging presence and authenticity have made her a sought-after corporate and motivational speaker, sharing insights on leadership, overcoming adversity, performance mindset, and building confidence. Her story resonates with audiences across industries—encouraging people to embrace their identities and push beyond perceived limits. A familiar face on BBC Sport, Bains has used her platform to champion positive representation and celebrate her heritage.

As an ambassador for South Asian Heritage Month, she highlights the power of cultural pride and the importance of inclusion in every field. Through her talks, Bains inspires audiences to see strength not just as physical ability, but as courage, self-belief, and authenticity. She continues to break barriers and redefine what it means to be strong, proving that when you lift others, everyone rises.