Para Powerlifting Opens Glasgow 2026 With Historic First

The Commonwealth Games is making history in Glasgow, and Para powerlifters will be the ones to deliver it.

When the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games begin on July 24, Para powerlifting will award the very first medals of the entire event. It's the first time in Commonwealth Games history that a Para sport has kicked off the competition, and 47 athletes from 15 countries are ready to show the world what they can do.

"To have the first medal of Glasgow 2026 coming from our sport is a major milestone," said Massimo Dighe, Acting Head of World Para Powerlifting. The sport has been part of the Commonwealth Games for over 20 years, but this moment marks a new level of recognition.

Four medal events will take place that opening day at the SEC Armadillo, with two afternoon sessions and two evening sessions. Athletes will compete in men's and women's lightweight and heavyweight categories, with winners determined by a formula that considers both bodyweight and their best lift.

Malaysia's Bonnie Bunyau Gustin headlines the men's competition as a two-time Paralympic champion and four-time world champion. He holds the world record with a 232kg lift and is defending his Commonwealth title against tough competition including England's Mark Swan, a Paralympic silver medalist who will face his usual Great Britain teammate Finlay Davidson, competing for Scotland on home soil.

England's Olivia Broome aims to turn her 2022 silver into gold in the women's lightweight division. The 25-year-old two-time Paralympic bronze medalist and world champion has grown significantly as an athlete. "I think comparing me now to four years ago, I'm a very different athlete than then," she said.

Nigeria's Folashade Oluwafemiayo brings serious momentum to the women's heavyweight category after setting a world record at 168kg in Paris and winning gold. Her teammate Rita Ferdinard, the 2025 world champion, makes her Commonwealth debut.

Among the most inspiring stories is Hope Gordon, competing for Team Scotland after representing Great Britain in three different Paralympic sports. "Being part of Team Scotland is a lifelong dream," said Gordon, who spent much of her childhood in Glasgow hospitals. "The thought of being able to compete for Scotland in Scotland, and in Glasgow, and try to spin those memories to make it more of a positive vibe for my family and friends is exciting."

India's Sudhir closes out the competition defending his historic 2022 gold, the nation's first Commonwealth Games Para powerlifting title. He'll face England's Matthew Harding and Malaysia's Brian Junency Gustin, older brother of champion Bonnie Gustin, in what's expected to be a nail-biter.

The Ripple Effect

This historic opening sends a powerful message about the evolution of Para sports on the world stage. By placing Para powerlifting front and center on day one, Glasgow 2026 is showing millions of viewers that Para athletes aren't an afterthought but essential to the Games' identity. Young athletes with disabilities watching from home will see champions celebrated first, setting the tone for an entire Games built on inclusion.

The world will be watching when these athletes make Commonwealth Games history.