Having been born with spina bifida – a condition that affects the spinal cord – Shayea turned to powerlifting in 2022, having previously been a wheelchair racer.
She won a silver medal at the European Para Powerlifting Championships in Georgia in March and, backed by her strong Muslim faith, is aiming for more glory in Glasgow.
But she says powerlifting is also something far more than competition to her.
“It’s about physically making my body stronger,” she said. “As a woman in a wheelchair, I think it’s so important for me to be strong.
“The bone density that powerlifting gives you, the strength, and building a strong, big body that can carry you up through old age.
“I think someone with a disability, even more so, needing to be able to rely on my own capabilities, my independence, it makes me strong to be able to just go about my day.
“I think that’s what connects me to the sport even more because it allows me to grow and to flourish and be strong in my life.”
