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Bonnie Bunyau Gustin (MAS) has dominated his weight division for most of this decade but even he foresees a few bumps in the road as the first medals of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games are decided on Friday.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Gustin is a double Paralympic champion and the defending Commonwealth Games title holder in the Men\u2019s Lightweight category of Para Powerlifting, which covers athletes up to 72kg.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy success comes from my motivation, from wanting to be a champion,\u201d the 27-year-old said after his opening training session at the SEC Armadillo, where the competition is taking place. \u201cBut here I\u2019m nervous, because I feel like someone is challenging me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gustin named Mark Swan of England and Nigeria\u2019s veteran powerlifter Roland Ezuruike as the most likely obstacles to a successful defence of his title.<\/p>\n
\u201cRoland is like my older brother,\u201d Gustin said of the Nigerian, 23 years his senior. \u201cIn Powerlifting, I look up to him as my idol. We are very close. He has the same spirit, the same sport. So I must be prepared for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ezuruike is the Rio 2016 Paralympic gold medallist in the 54kg category and won Commonwealth Games gold at Lightweight in 2018.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s still lifting big two months after turning 50 \u2013 and is certainly not short on confidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m getting old now, but I’m a legend in my category,\u201d Ezuruike said. \u201cI still feel good because when you engage yourself in sport, you will look younger than your age. Yeah, I feel good about that.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s going to be a tough one but I will never give up. Anything can happen that day. The platform decides.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the Men\u2019s Heavyweight event, debutant Bryan Junency Gustin \u2013 older brother of Bonnie \u2013 will lead the Malaysian challenge as India\u2019s Sudhir seeks a repeat of his win at Birmingham 2022.<\/p>\n
England\u2019s Matthew Harding arrives as the top-ranked athlete in the category, while Alfie Maddocks Bezance of the Isle of Man is an emerging talent in the sport.<\/p>\n
The Women\u2019s Heavyweight division for lifters above 61kg is headlined by the two-time Paralympic champion Folashade Oluwafemiayo.<\/p>\n
The Nigerian powerhouse set a world record of 155kg in Birmingham four years ago, which she extended to 168kg a year after winning gold at Paris 2024. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel good \u2013 there’s no champion forever, but if you keep training, you’ll keep to your standard,\u201d the 41-year-old said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m very happy to be a role model to others. I want those out there to look at my dream and go after it.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the Women\u2019s Lightweight category, England’s Olivia Broome, the bronze medallist in the 50kg at both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, is aiming to go one better than the Commonwealth Games silver she won four years ago. \u00a0<\/p>\n
The 25-year-old will be challenged all the way by Esther Nworgu and Esther Oyema of Nigeria, and by Kenya\u2019s Hellen Wawira Kariuki, who won her nation\u2019s only non-athletics medal in Birmingham.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, I think I have more confidence than at the last Commonwealths,\u201d Kariuki said.\u00a0\u201cI lifted 95kg then. But my personal best is 107 and I will pass that mark here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Para Powerlifting, presented by Amul, takes place at the SEC Armadillo on 24 July.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n