AN HISTORIC moment will be recorded at Glasgow 2026 as Para Powerlifting becomes the first sport to award a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
The event at the SEC Armadillo on Friday 24 July will mark the start of the medal programme, with athletes competing for the first of 215 gold medals across 11 days of competition.
The decision means a Para sport will open the medal programme for the first time in Commonwealth Games history.
Glasgow 2026 Director of Sport Natalie Cunningham said the opening medal event would showcase the strength and skill of some of the world’s best athletes.
She said: “It is a powerful statement that Para Powerlifting will be the first medals won at Glasgow 2026. They will amaze the crowd with their feats of strength and explosive lifting ability.”
Para Powerlifting will see competitors go head-to-head in the bench press discipline, with athletes competing in categories based on gender, weight and eligible lower limb or hip impairments.
Organisers said the competition would feature some of the world’s leading athletes, with competitors capable of lifting several times their own body weight and potentially challenging world records.
Team Scotland will be represented by Hope Gordon and Finlay Davidson, with Gordon hoping to create positive memories in a city that holds difficult but important memories for her.
The amputee athlete, who has previously competed in Para canoeing and Para Nordic skiing, said competing for Scotland in Glasgow would be a special moment for her and her family.
She said: “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.”
Weightlifting events will follow at the SEC Armadillo from July 26 to 30, with Team Scotland athletes including British champions Madeline Rosher, Alex Mackay, Angus Doig and Drew Burns.
Beth Ashbee, a former international gymnast turned weightlifter, will also compete at her first Commonwealth Games.
Glasgow 2026 will feature around 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories competing across 10 sports and six Para sports, with tickets for Para Powerlifting and Weightlifting available from £10.
