Malaysia’s Bonnie Bunyau Gustin eyes gold at Glasgow 2026, wary of English rival Mark Swan in the men’s para powerlifting 72kg category.
GLASGOW: National para powerlifting ace Bonnie Bunyau Gustin is determined to defend the gold medal he won at Birmingham 2022 when he begins his campaign at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games here, tomorrow.
The reigning Paralympic champion said he arrived in good condition, free from injury, and was ready for the competition after adapting well to the local weather and completing his official training at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Centre.
Bonnie, who is among Malaysia’s gold medal hopes, admitted feeling the pressure of expectations but described it as positive motivation.
“My target is to remain in first place and retain my gold medal. Every athlete feels pressure. I take it positively and hope for the prayers and support of all Malaysians,” he said when met today.
Competing in the men’s lightweight up to 72 kilogramme (kg) category, Bonnie has identified English lifter Mark Swan as his main rival.
“I have to be careful with the athlete from England. We are in the same category, and we’ve met many times before. His lifts are not far off mine, so I have to be cautious,” said the 27-year-old athlete.
Apart from his rivals, he said body weight management would also be crucial under the Commonwealth Games para powerlifting competition format, where results were determined using a formula that combined the athlete’s body weight and the weight successfully lifted.
However, he said his body weight remained under control after his latest check during training.
At the 2022 edition, Bonnie won gold after setting a new Games record with a lift of 220kg, while Swan claimed silver with 202kg.
Malaysia have set a target of five gold, two silver and four bronze medals at Glasgow 2026, with para powerlifting among the sports expected to contribute to the tally.
The Games begin today and will run until Aug 2.
