Para powerlifting will award the first of the 215 gold medals at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Friday (24 July), when the competition opens with two afternoon sessions followed by two evening sessions at the SEC Armadillo.
It marks the first time in Commonwealth Games history that a Para sport will deliver the opening medal tally, with 47 athletes from 15 delegations set to compete. Para powerlifting has featured on the programme since 2002.
“Since joining the programme over 20 years ago, Para Powerlifting has become an integral part of the Commonwealth Games. To have the first medal of Glasgow 2026 coming from our sport is a major milestone and a fantastic opportunity for fans to see the world’s best Para powerlifters in action right on day one – and continue following them on the global stage in future events,” said Massimo Dighe, Acting Head of World Para Powerlifting.
Four medal events will be contested: men’s and women’s lightweight and heavyweight categories, with results determined using a coefficient formula based on each athlete’s bodyweight and best lift.
The men’s lightweight covers athletes up to and including 72kg, with heavyweight for those above 72kg. In the women’s events, lightweight includes up to 61kg and heavyweight those above 61kg.
Complete results will be available on the Glasgow 2026 official page.
Men’s Lightweight
Malaysia’s two-time Paralympic champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin is back to defend his Commonwealth title in the opening event of the Games. The four-time world champion is also the men’s up to 72kg world record holder, lifting 232kg at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Since his silver medal four years ago in Birmingham, Mark Swan has become one of the leading athletes in the up to 65kg category, winning Paralympic silver in Paris and world bronze at Cairo 2025. He is expected to be one of Gustin’s main challengers.
Competing for Great Britain at World Para Powerlifting events, Finlay Davidson will have his first opportunity to represent Scotland on the international stage – and in front of the home crowd. Having previously competed in Para athletics, he switched his discus and shot put for the barbell.
“Coming from a throws background, there’s a nice transfer of skills. I really like how linear powerlifting is and how clearly I can see my progress,” he said. “And going up against athletes like Mark Swan, who I’m usually teammates with, will be really fun.”
India and Nigeria will each field two athletes. Parmjeet Kumar, India’s first World Championships medallist (bronze at Tbilisi 2021), competes alongside teammate Ashok. Nigeria is represented by Ibrahim Dauda and two-time Paralympic medallist Roland Ezuruike.
Did you know: the first medal of #Glasgow2026 will be won by a para athlete? 🥇
The first time in Commonwealth Games history! 🙌
📰 https://t.co/wrN418KRbq pic.twitter.com/05L5ibkhUd
— Glasgow 2026 (@Glasgow_2026) July 17, 2026
Women’s Lightweight
England’s Olivia Broome aims to upgrade her Birmingham 2022 silver to gold. The 25-year-old is a two-time Paralympic bronze medallist (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024) and the Dubai 2023 world champion in the women’s up to 50kg.
“I think comparing me now to four years ago, I’m a very different athlete than then,” she said.
Nigeria’s Esther Nworgu and Esther Oyema are expected to be strong contenders. Nworgu won silver in the up to 50kg at the Cairo 2025 Worlds and at the Paris 2024 Games competing in the up to 41kg.
Kenya’s Hellen Wawira Kariuki, bronze at Birmingham 2022 – the nation’s only non-athletics medal at those Games – also returns.
Women’s Heavyweight
Nigeria’s reigning champion Folashade Oluwafemiayo seeks another gold after her world record four years ago. Nigeria topped the medal table last time out with four, including her gold and two silvers.
Since then, Oluwafemiayo has won Paralympic gold in Paris, improving her world record to 168kg, and added another world title in Cairo in the over 86kg category.
Her teammate Rita Ferdinard, 2025 world champion in the women’s up to 79kg, makes her Commonwealth Games debut.
Australia’s Hani Watson, bronze medallist four years ago, aims to climb the podium again. England’s Louise Sugden, Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist and Tbilisi 2021 world champion, returns after winning silver at Gold Coast 2018.
Team Scotland medal hopeful Hope Gordon is a Paralympic medallist in Para canoe who has also competed in Para cross-country skiing at the Winter Paralympics. She represented Great Britain in Para powerlifting at the Cairo 2025 Worlds.
“Being part of Team Scotland is a lifelong dream. When I heard the Games were heading back to Glasgow, I knew I had to try to be part of it. Glasgow holds a lot of memories for me. It’s where I spent a lot of time in hospital as a child, so it’s been a big part of my life, just not necessarily for the most positive of reasons,” Gordon 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.”
Men’s Heavyweight
The closing event of the Para powerlifting programme is expected to be one of the most tightly contested.
India’s Sudhir defends his historic Birmingham 2022 gold – India’s first Commonwealth Games Para powerlifting title – and is joined debutant Jhandu Kumar.
England’s Matthew Harding, competing at his second Games, qualified as the top-ranked athlete in his event.
Malaysia fields two athletes: Nicodemus Manggoi Moses and Brian Junency Gustin, older brother of Bonnie Gustin, who makes his Commonwealth debut.
Complete Para powerlifting entries of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games can be found below.
Men’s Lightweight
Daniel Bos (Australia)
Manga Belinga (Cameroon)
Finlay Davidson (Scotland)
Mark Swan (England)
Parmjeet Kumar (India)
Ashok (India)
Ngungi Maringa (Kenya)
Bonnie Bunyau Gustin (Malaysia)
Nick Mercieca (Malta)
Ibrahim Dauda (Nigeria)
Roland Ezuruike (Nigeria)
Moffet Tolomae (Solomon Islands)
Women’s Lightweight
Jade Pritchard (Australia)
Natasha Price (Australia)
Suzanne Menye M’eto (Cameroon)
Olivia Broome (England)
Charlotte McGuinness (England)
Jaspreet Kaur (India)
Suman Devi (India)
Rahab Ngare (Kenya)
Hellen Wawira Kariuki (Kenya)
Esther Oyema (Nigeria)
Esther Nworgu (Nigeria)
Janet Nakayobyo (Uganda)
Women’s Heavyweight
Hani Watson (Australia)
Thamar Gisele Mengue (Cameroon)
Maria Markou (Cyprus)
Louise Sugden (England)
Hope Gordon (Scotland)
Doaa Shayea (England)
Kasthuri Rajamani (India)
Joyce Wambui Njuguna (Kenya)
Folashade Oluwafemiayo (Nigeria)
Rita Ferdinard (Nigeria)
Rebecca Zawedde (Uganda)
Marek Sahi (Vanuatu)
Men’s Heavyweight
Cameron Whittington (Australia)
Ben Wright (Australia)
Alfie Maddocks Bezance (Isle of Man)
Matthew Harding (England)
Tahiru Haruna (Ghana)
Jhandu Kumar (India)
Sudhir (India)
Bryan Junency Gustin (Malaysia)
Nicodemus Manggoi Moses (Malaysia)
Riluwan Idris (Nigeria)
Dennis Mbaziira (Uganda)
