Association of Colleges - Strongest Student 2026/2027

The AOC Strongest is back and into its second year, expertly led by Runshaw College. Running from October 2026 to March 2027, The Strongest is designed to find and celebrate the strongest male and female college students across the country, testing pure strength, grit and determination. The competition is available for students studying at a Further Education College or Sixth Form during the 2026/2027 academic year

To register and enter please use this link - AoC Sport - The Strongest 2027 - circle21. All rules can be found within the Circle21 website

For more information, please contact tuson.j@runshaw.ac.uk

The competition is split into two phases:

Phase 1: Online Qualifier – Oct 1 to Dec 31, 2026 Students can enter from anywhere; their college gym or local facility by submitting their 1 Rep Max lifts in:

• Deadlift

• Clean and Press

• Back Squat

Using just a barbell and plates, athletes record and submit their scores online. Each lift is scored separately, with Leaderboard points awarded based on ranking. A combined points tally will determine the strongest lifters in the country. Top-performing students by December 31st will receive a prestigious invite to compete live at the Strongest Finals in 10th March 2027 at Runshaw College.

Phase 2: The Strongest Finals – 10th March 2027 at Runshaw College

The top 12 males and top 12 females will face off in a showcase of raw power and functional strength through five epic events:

Event 1 – Log Press for Max Weight (Rising Bar)

Event 2 – Axle Squat for Reps (60 Seconds)

Event 3 – Deadlift Ladder (5 Bars – 60 Seconds)

Event 4 – Forward Hold for Time

Event 5 – Lumberjack Carry

The student scoring the most points across all events will be crowned AoC Sport’s Strongest 2027.

AoC Sport is the membership organisation for colleges, leading the development of sport and physical activity in 16+ education. We believe that sport and physical activity are essential components of college life, giving students significant advantages in education, employment and health. Our vision is for every college student to participate regularly in sport or physical activity. Our purpose is to promote, support and deliver college sport and physical activity.