Hall of Fame powerlifter Wayne Cormier is marking a major milestone in 2026 as he prepares for his 50th year of competition.
Cormier said his competitive journey began on Jan. 31, 1976, the day before his 14th birthday, when he entered his first powerlifting contest in Lennoxville, Que.
“That was my first contest,” Cormier said. “A little bench press competition in my hometown.”
Now 63, Cormier said the upcoming year represents unfinished business as he continues to chase national and international success.
“2026 is a really big year,” he said. “I’m hoping 50 is a good number.”
Cormier is scheduled to compete at the Canadian National Powerlifting Championships on April 25 and 26 in Edmonton. He said a win there would earn him a spot on Team Canada and a chance to compete internationally.
“After I win my weight class there, I’ll be on Team Canada and I’ll be going to Poland, just outside of Warsaw,” Cormier said. “I’ll be competing at the 2026 World Global Powerlifting Committee championships.”
This year will mark the first time since 1999 that Cormier will compete in both classic and equipped powerlifting.
“I haven’t done both since 1999,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun getting used to the supportive gear again.”
Cormier said much of his current motivation comes from training alongside younger athletes in Moose Jaw.
“I’m training with lifters that are bigger, stronger, faster, and they just happen to be younger,” he said. “I’m doing the chasing now, and that’s what I need.”
Reflecting on his career, Cormier said several moments stand out among more than 100 competitions.
“One of the biggest highlights was 1999, when I won the Champions Cup as the strongest pound-for-pound lifter in Canada,” he said. “I was 37, competing in Moose Jaw in front of my family, and it came down to my very last lift.”
Another career milestone came a year earlier at the world championships.
“In 1998, I finally won a medal at the World Powerlifting Championships in Atlanta,” Cormier said. “I had come close so many times, and that was the year I thought it had to happen.”
Cormier also pointed to his first provincial championship as a defining moment.
“My first provincial championship in 1984 as a junior lifter set four provincial records,” he said. “Those records stood until 2010.”
Beyond medals and records, Cormier said the sport has given him opportunities few others experience.
“Powerlifting allowed me to travel the world,” he said. “I competed all over Canada and in places like England, France, Italy and across the United States.”
Cormier said the sport has shaped his life, despite the sacrifices and injuries that came with decades of elite competition.
“It’s always been about the journey,” he said. “The sacrifices, the injuries, the highs and lows. I’ve given my life to the sport.”
Cormier’s next competition will be livestreamed, allowing fans to follow along when he competes in Edmonton in April.
