The Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum has announced that elite athlete, record-breaking powerlifter, and television personality Karenjeet Kaur Bains will serve on the judging panel for the upcoming V&A Innovate National Schools Challenge 2026–27. Best known to television audiences for her appearances as "Athena" on the hit BBC show Gladiators, Bains brings a unique blend of athletic discipline, barrier-breaking ambition, and a passion for creative problem-solving to the prestigious national competition.
Beyond her high-profile television presence, Bains has carved out a pioneering path in professional sports. She captured the junior title at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships and made history by becoming the first British Sikh woman to represent her country at both the European and World championships. In addition to her sporting accolades, she operates as an online fitness coach, dedicating much of her professional life to empowering South Asian women through fitness, helping clients achieve personal goals, and dismantling cultural and systemic barriers along the way.
As a newly appointed judge for the V&A Innovate challenge, Bains will help evaluate forward-thinking design concepts created by young minds from across England. To mark her appointment, the V&A sat down with the athlete to discuss her role on the panel, the significance of the competition’s core themes, and why design plays a vital role in everyday life and high-performance athletics alike.
Reflecting on what she anticipates most from the experience, Bains shared her enthusiasm for observing the uninhibited creativity and resourcefulness of young students. She noted that as an elite athlete, her entire career has centered on identifying ways to elevate performance, surmount rigorous obstacles, and engineer effective solutions to complex physical and mental challenges. Translating that resilient mindset into the realm of student design is something she looks forward to witnessing firsthand. Through her participation, Bains hopes to instill confidence in the participants, encouraging them to think outside conventional boundaries and recognize that their ideas hold genuine potential to effect meaningful change in the world.
The V&A Innovate National Schools Challenge centers its 2026–27 campaign around three guiding themes: Simplify, Empower, and Nurture. For Bains, these concepts resonate deeply with her personal philosophy and career trajectory. She interprets "Simplify" as the art of identifying streamlined methods to make tasks more efficient, approachable, and accessible. "Empower," in her view, is about supplying individuals with the necessary confidence, tools, and platforms to unlock their true potential. Meanwhile, she defines "Nurture" as the cultivation of supportive environments where learning, personal growth, and continuous development can flourish. Drawing from her extensive journey in competitive sports, Bains emphasized how vital a strong support system, self-belief, and iterative improvement are to long-term success, noting that even minor modifications can spark substantial positive transformation in an individual’s life.
When discussing the broader importance of design, Bains pointed out that thoughtful creation bridges the gap between abstract concepts and practical solutions capable of elevating human experiences. In the athletic arena, the meticulous design of training equipment, specialized facilities, and modern technology can dictate the margin between success and failure, while directly influencing safety and accessibility. Because she constantly seeks self-improvement, Bains maintains a deep appreciation for design that anticipates latent needs and solves problems before they become obvious. Ultimately, she believes effective design is rooted in a profound comprehension of human requirements rather than mere aesthetic appeal.
When asked about the singular innovation she could not live without, Bains pointed immediately to her smartphone. Serving as the central hub for her online coaching business, client communications, training logs, content creation, and mobile connectivity, the device allows her to seamlessly manage multiple professional roles from anywhere in the world. For Bains, modern technology stands as a prime illustration of how innovation streamlines daily routines, freeing up time and energy to concentrate on life’s most essential pursuits.
Offering parting advice to the students preparing their submissions for this year’s challenge, Bains encouraged participants to maintain an attitude of curiosity, embrace creative exploration, and shed any fear of making mistakes. She noted that some of history’s most remarkable breakthroughs originate from simple questioning, challenging established norms, and examining old problems through fresh lenses. She also stressed the value of collaboration, reminding students that diverse teams bring together a multitude of strengths and perspectives.
Above all, Bains advised competitors to abandon the pressure of achieving perfection on the first attempt. By testing concepts, learning from failures, and committing to continuous refinement, students can mirror the resilience required in elite athletics. She reminded the young designers that progress is born from a willingness to try again, and that true innovation recognizes no age limits.
Registration and entry submissions for the 2026–27 Innovate National Schools Challenge are officially open, welcoming groups of students in Years 7, 8, and 9 from state-funded schools across England. Alongside the competition’s core themes of Simplify, Empower, and Nurture, organizers have published a comprehensive theme inspiration pack, alongside dedicated Teacher and Student Toolkits on the V&A website to guide participants seamlessly through their creative journey.