AXA Me Anything: I powerlift for Ireland

Hi, I’m Steven and I work as a Test Automation Engineer in the IT department at AXA Ireland. I’ve worked at AXA for almost 12 years. Thanks to the flexibility I have at AXA, I’m also able compete in powerlifting competitions at a high level. Powerlifting means a great deal to me and has had a profound impact on my life. It has played a pivotal role in shaping the person I am today. 

What do you do at AXA? 
In my current role, I specialise in Test Automation, which involves writing code to automate the tasks traditionally performed by human software testers. This allows us to execute many tests with a high level of speed, accuracy, and efficiency. 

When did you start powerlifting? 
I began training for powerlifting a few months after starting in AXA, just before my 30th birthday. In February 2025 I’ll be competing for the 15th time and proudly earning my 3rd cap for Ireland. 

What do you enjoy about powerlifting? 
Through powerlifting, I’ve been able to build my self-confidence and enhance my self-esteem. As a young person, I struggled with self-confidence and was quite reserved. This sport has not only made me physically stronger but has also contributed to my mental wellbeing. 

Can you tell us a bit more about how powerlifting has helped grow your confidence? 
I’ve noticed that the confidence I’ve gained in powerlifting has transferred to other areas of my life — now I have the mentality of “I’ve conquered challenges before, I can do it again.” Setting incremental goals - each small PR gained builds trust in my ability to grow and adapt 

1. Practicing consistency & discipline - showing up regularly reinforces my ability to rely on myself 

2. Overcoming mental barriers — facing heavy weights challenges my courage as well as my strength and helps to conquer self-doubt 

3. Learning from failure - a missed lift gives valuable feedback, to adapt and adjust and come back stronger 

How are you able to balance work and competing for your country? 
The support of AXA and those around me is invaluable to my sporting career. Having flexitime and hybrid working enables me to train hard and also get my work done to a high standard. This practical help as well as the emotional encouragement I receive helps me stay focused and confident. 

Without AXA’s support, balancing my powerlifting commitments with work would be significantly harder. I’d have far less flexibility for vital rest and recovery, making it tougher to maintain the intense training schedule needed to stay competitive.  

I could also foresee the possibility of losing the motivational boost that comes from knowing my workplace believes in my goals. Over time, this lack of support could force me to scale back or even step away from the level of powerlifting I’m passionate about. Their backing enables me to pursue my sport at a high level while still meeting my professional responsibilities. 

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