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Australia will make a triumphant return to Para-powerlifting with duo Hani Watson and Ben Wright vying for success in Paris, after fielding no athletes in the sport since the London Games in 2012.
Watson, affectionately known as the “Bench Queen,” has been a rising star in the sport. The 41-year-old from Queensland ended Australia’s 16-year medal drought in Para-powerlifting by winning bronze in the women’s heavyweight division at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, lifting an impressive 127kg – nearly 30kg more than her body weight.
Watson will compete in the women’s over 86kg category in Paris, furthering her already remarkable legacy.
Ahead of taking centre stage in Porte de la Chapelle Arena, Watson is savoring a significant personal victory as her goal was just to make a Paralympic Games.
“I didn’t think I’d get here, but I got here, to be top eight in the world…I’ve already won,” she said.
Watson, who has been laser-focused on preparation, shared the relentless routine that brought her to this point.
“I’ve just been training, eating, sleeping, and repeating, over and over again, trying to get my mind sort of set right,” she said.
Looking ahead, Watson identified her top rivals, acknowledging the formidable challenge posed by Nigeria’s, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, Ukraine’s, Nataliia Olinka, and China’s, Xuemei Deng.
“They’ve been in the sport for 25 years and I’ve only just entered, so I’m chasing them at the moment,” she said.
However, Watson remains optimistic, noting that with each competition, she’s narrowing the gap.
“I’m getting closer and closer each competition,” she added.
Watson’s journey into Para-powerlifting is both unique and inspiring. Born with bilateral metaphyseal dysplasia, a condition that bowed her tibia and femur bones, she underwent multiple surgeries as a child.
Inspired by her father, Charlie, a former bodybuilder, Watson spent much of her childhood in the gym, learning the ropes of strength training. Her father’s lessons on the power of upper body strength became her “superpower,” propelling her into the competitive arena of powerlifting.
She began training under the guidance of Australian Para-powerlifting coach Simon Bergner in 2018, despite the logistical challenge of living in different cities. In just three years, Watson broke an Oceania record and finished eighth at the 2021 World Championships in Georgia.
Wright, a seasoned athlete, and three-time Commonwealth Games representative said representing Australia at the Paralympics was the culmination of a 25-year dream.
“It’s been incredible, my goal for the Games is just to soak everything up, enjoy the experience and put together the best performance I can,” he said.
“I have been doing a lot of training, I’ve had to put on a bit of weight as I’d previously cut down to a lower weight class, so I have spent the last eight weeks trying to put on eight kilos, so it’s been a lot of eating.”
The 37-year-old from Perth will contest the men’s up to 88kg category.
Wright’s journey has been one of perseverance and determination, born with spina bifida, he first competed in wheelchair basketball and athletics before transitioning to Para-powerlifting in 2012.
At a “come-and-try day,” Wright pressed 80kg – a near national record for his age and weight class – setting the path for a successful career in the sport.
Rather than naming another athlete, Wright identified his own mindset as the primary obstacle to overcome.
“My main competitor will be myself,” Wright admitted.
“If I can just focus on what needs to be done, keep out of my head, I think everything will go well.”
Wright also shared a personal highlight for the event, emphasising the significance of having his family present.
“The highlight of the Games will be my family joining me and being able to watch,” he said.
Wright made his Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow in 2014, finishing 10th in the heavyweight division. His subsequent sixth-place finish at the Gold Coast 2018 Games was a hard-fought achievement, coming just 10 weeks after suffering a seizure that resulted in compression fractures in four of his vertebrae.
Despite these challenges, Wright has continued to excel, becoming the Oceania record holder in two weight classes (80kg and 88kg) and a three-time Australian champion.
Watch the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on the 9Network and 9Now live and free, and on Stan Sport from August 28 to September 8.
By: Amanda Scott, Paralympics Australia
Published: 6 September 2024
