Australian Paralympic Powerlifting Team
Australia has been represented in weightlifting / powerlifting at every Games between 1964 and 2012 and, in that time, won a medal at every Games except 1984 and 2012. Paralympic powerlifting has been competed at every Summer Paralympics since 1984. Weightlifting had been on the Paralympic program since 1964, however after the 1992 Games the International Paralympic Committee made the decision drop weightlifting and hold powerlifting events only.
Notable Australian athletes include:
- Vic Renalson, has won 3 gold medals and 1 silver medal in weightlifting events. He also won 2 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals in athletics events.
- Brian McNicholl, has won 1 gold medal, 1 silver medal and 2 bronze medals in weightlifting and powerlifting events.
- Darren Gardiner, has won 2 silver medals.
Medal table
Summer Paralympic Games
Australian representatives in weightlifting and powerlifting.1964
Australia represented by:Men – Michael Dow, Gary Hooper, Vic Renalson
Australia won three silver medals.
Medal | Name | Event |
Men's Featherweight | ||
Men's Lightweight | ||
Men's Heavyweight |
1968
Australia represented by:Men – Gary Hooper, Vic Renalson
Medal | Name | Event |
Men's Heavyweight |
1972
Australia represented by:Men – Dennis Kay, Terry Mason, Vic Renalson
Medal | Name | Event |
Men's heavyweight |
1976
Australia represented by:Men – Terry Mason, Vic Renalson
Medal | Name | Event |
Men's middleweight | ||
Men's light featherweight |
1980
Australia represented by:Men – Barry Kalms, Brian McNicholl, John Sheil
Medal | Name | Event |
Men's lightweight −65 kg amputee | ||
Men's middleweight −75 kg paraplegic |
1984
Australia represented by:Men – Brian McNicholl
Australia did not win any medals. Brian McNicholl came 4th in his event.
1988
Australia represented in powerlifting by:Men – Michael Farrell, Matthew Pobje
Australia represented in weightlifting by:
Men – Ray Epstein, Brian McNicholl, Arnie Money, Paul O'Brien, Col Richards
Medal | Name | Event |
Men's 100 kg | ||
Men's 100 kg | ||
Men's 85 kg |
1992
Australia represented by:Men – Ray Epstein, Steve Green, Brian McNicholl
Medal | Name | Event |
Men's 90 kg |
1996
Australia represented in powerlifting by:Men – Willem Bos, Michael Farrell, Brian McNicholl, Richard Nicholson
Coach – Blagoi Blagoev
Medal | Name | Event |
Men's Up To 90 kg |
2000
Australia represented in powerlifting by:Men – Shaun Cavuoto, Darren Gardiner, Steve Green, Paul Hyde, Richard Nicholson, Kahi Puru, Wayne Sharpe
Women –
Deahnne McIntyre, Julie Russell, Vicky Machen, Kim Neuenkirchen, Melissa Trafela, Sue Twelftree
Coaches – Blagoi Blagoev, Ray Epstein
Medal | Name | Event |
Men's 60 kg |
2004
Australia represented in powerlifting:Men – Darren Gardiner, Steve Green, Wayne Sharpe
Women – Deahnne McIntyre
Coaches – Martin Leach, Michael Farrell
Medal | Name | Event |
Men's +100 kg | - |
Gardiner originally finished third but was awarded the silver medal after Habibollah Mousavi gold medallist in +100 kg was disqualified after a positive doping test.
2008
Representing Australia in powerlifting:Men – Darren Gardiner, Abebe Fekadu
Women – Deahnne McIntyre
Coaches – Ray Epstein, Bill Nancarrow
Medal | Name | Event |
Men's 100 +kg |
2012
Selected team of 2 athletes.Men – Darren Gardiner and Abebe Fekadu.
Coaches – Ray Epstein
Darren Gardiner, a previous Games medallist competed at his fourth Games and Fekadu, a refugee from Ethiopia at his second Games. Australia did not win any medals.