Powerlifting Champion and Gladiator Karenjeet Kaur Bains Named Judge for V&A Innovate 2026-27

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has announced that Karenjeet Kaur Bains, the renowned powerlifting champion and star of the hit television series Gladiators, will serve as a distinguished judge for the upcoming V&A Innovate National Schools Challenge 2026-27. This prestigious design competition, which invites students across England to engage with real-world problem solving through the lens of creativity and innovation, will benefit from Bains’ unique perspective as both a world-class athlete and an advocate for physical and mental empowerment.

Bains, who is widely recognized by her television moniker "Athena," has carved out a trailblazing career that extends far beyond the screen. As the first British Sikh woman to represent her country at both European and World Powerlifting Championships, and a former Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships junior titleholder, she has consistently shattered glass ceilings. Her work in the public eye is mirrored by her dedication to empowering South Asian women through fitness. By leveraging online coaching and personal mentorship, Bains helps her audience navigate their fitness journeys, break down systemic barriers, and achieve ambitious personal goals. Her involvement in the V&A Innovate challenge marks a significant intersection between high-performance athletics and the world of design, highlighting the shared values of discipline, problem-solving, and visionary thinking.

In preparation for the upcoming challenge, the V&A sat down with Bains to discuss her role on the judging panel and the profound importance of design in both sport and everyday life. Her insights offer a glimpse into the mindset she hopes to inspire in the participating students, emphasizing that the principles of resilience and creativity are universal.

When asked about her expectations for the V&A Innovate National Schools Challenge, Bains expressed genuine excitement regarding the ingenuity of the younger generation. She noted that she is particularly eager to observe the imaginative approaches students take when confronted with complex, real-world problems. Drawing on her extensive experience as an elite athlete, Bains explained that her professional life is a constant cycle of performance optimization, obstacle navigation, and creative problem solving. She views the V&A Innovate challenge as a parallel to this process, where students are tasked with applying a similar strategic mindset to design. Her goal as a judge is to foster a sense of self-belief among the participants, encouraging them to step outside the conventional boundaries of their education and realize that their innovative concepts possess the tangible potential to spark meaningful change in society.

The themes selected for this year’s competition—Simplify, Empower, and Nurture—resonate deeply with Bains’ personal and professional philosophy. In her view, these themes are fundamentally rooted in the concept of positive impact. To "Simplify," she suggests, is to identify methods for increasing efficiency and accessibility, effectively removing friction from the systems we rely on. "Empower," conversely, is the act of equipping individuals with the necessary confidence, tools, and opportunities to realize their full potential. Finally, "Nurture" is described by Bains as the vital process of fostering an environment where growth and development can flourish. Throughout her career in the demanding world of powerlifting, she has learned that success is rarely a solitary endeavor; it requires the right support systems, an unwavering belief in one’s own capabilities, and a commitment to incremental improvement. She hopes these themes will remind students that even the most modest of innovations can have a profound, transformative effect on an individual’s quality of life.

The conversation also turned toward the broader role of design in our daily existence. For Bains, design is not merely an aesthetic pursuit but a critical mechanism for human progress. She argues that design is most effective when it is used to convert abstract ideas into practical solutions that tangibly improve the human experience. In the high-stakes environment of professional sport, the meticulous design of training equipment, the architecture of workout spaces, and the integration of new technologies are all essential to maintaining performance, ensuring safety, and enhancing accessibility. Bains champions a human-centric approach, noting that true innovation comes from a deep understanding of user needs rather than a superficial focus on visual appeal. She appreciates thoughtful design precisely because it often addresses challenges that remain invisible until a solution is finally presented.

When pressed on which specific innovation she finds indispensable to her own life, Bains pointed to the smartphone. As a multifaceted professional managing a coaching business, communicating with a diverse client base, tracking her own rigorous training, and creating content for her audience, she relies on the device as an essential hub of productivity. For her, the smartphone serves as a perfect example of how innovation can simplify complex, fragmented tasks into a singular, streamlined experience, ultimately freeing up the time and mental energy required to focus on what truly matters.

For the students who are preparing to embark on their own design journeys through the V&A Innovate challenge, Bains offered several pieces of pragmatic advice. Her primary message is one of curiosity and courage. She urged participants to challenge the status quo, ask probing questions, and view problems through a fresh lens. Crucially, she emphasized that failure is not a setback but an essential component of the creative process. Some of the most groundbreaking ideas, she noted, are the result of testing, learning, and refining through trial and error.

Bains also underscored the value of collaboration. She encouraged students to listen to their peers, acknowledging that every member of a team brings a unique set of strengths and perspectives to the table. She cautioned against the common pressure to produce a "perfect" idea immediately, noting that progress in both sport and design is built upon a foundation of willingness to learn. She urged students to remember that they do not need to hold an advanced degree or possess years of professional experience to identify a problem and propose a solution. Their age is no barrier to impact, and by believing in their ideas, they can contribute to a better future.

The 2026-27 Innovate National Schools Challenge is currently open for registration, inviting student groups in years 7, 8, and 9 from state schools across England to participate. To support the students and their teachers throughout the design process, the V&A has provided a comprehensive suite of resources, including a theme inspiration pack and dedicated toolkits for both educators and students. These materials are designed to guide teams from the initial brainstorming phase through to the final submission of their entries. As the competition progresses, the inclusion of leaders like Bains on the judging panel underscores the V&A’s commitment to fostering a new generation of creative thinkers who are equipped to solve the challenges of tomorrow. The museum continues to encourage schools to review the official website for further information and to begin their submissions as they explore the transformative power of design.