Louise Sugden

Louise Sugden won a brilliant powerlifting bronze in the women’s -86kg category at Tokyo 2020, securing the medal with her final lift.

The Newbury lifter successfully made 131kg in the last round, a lift that previously would have broken the Paralympic record, to claim the bronze.

Louise only took up Para powerlifting in June 2017 as she felt that she needed a new challenge after retiring from international wheelchair basketball in August 2016.

In 2018 despite only being in the sport for 9 months, Louise went to the Commonwealth Games Gold Coast 2018 and she came home with a silver medal.

Louise continued her impressive progress in 2020 when she won Gold at the Para Powerlifting World Cup in Manchester with a new British record lift of 125kg.

She continued to lower that record in 2021 at the same World Cup with a new best lift of 128kg before winning Gold at the Tokyo qualifier in Tbilisi.

Louise missed out on her first World Championship medal with a fourth place finish in 2021 after missing a new British record attempt at 132kg. Due to a shoulder injury, Louise was forced to withdraw from the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Louise has attended both Beijing and London Paralympics but competing with the wheelchair basketball team. She still coaches wheelchair basketball in her spare time.