Ben Wright selected for third Commonwealth Games in Para-Powerlifting

35-year-old, Ben Wright will become just the second Australian to compete in Para-Powerlifting at three Games in Birmingham.

Born with spina bifida, Wright made his debut for Australia in 2014 in Glasgow Games. Four years later, despite breaking his back just 10 weeks out, he showed immense courage to compete again on the Gold Coast.

Wright is determined to post a podium finish at Birmingham and join Darren Gardiner and Richard Nicholson, a silver medallist at Manchester in 2002, as medal winners in Para-powerlifting for Australia.

He follows an uncomplicated approach towards excelling in Birmingham. “Follow the process and the results will look after themselves,” says Wright simply.

He is joined on the team by Brisbane’s Hani Watson.

Commonwealth Games Australia Team Chef de Mission Petria Thomas OAM praised these two athletes blessed with such resilience and talent for winning selection for Birmingham.

“Congratulations to Hani and Ben on being selected for the Australian Team for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games,” Thomas said.

“Ben is heading to his third Commonwealth Games, while Hani is heading to her debut Games. They make for an exciting duo, which I’m sure will be a motivating factor in Birmingham.

“All the best to them both, I can’t wait to see them competing at the Games.”

Para-powerlifting is the ultimate test of upper-body strength where men and women battle to lift the heaviest weight, exercising incredible strength and control. Many powerlifters bench press two to three times their bodyweight.

The Para-Powerlifting competition to be conducted on Thursday 4 August at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC).