GLASGOW, July 24 — Two-time Paralympic champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin expressed his disappointment over the failure to defend his Commonwealth Games gold medal after he won the bronze in the men’s lightweight powerlifting category at the 2026 Commonwealth Games here today.
He attributed his loss to not being able to complete his final attempt of lifting 230 kilogrammes (kg) when the referee issued the rack command during the competition at Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Armadillo.
“For my last lift, I wanted to do 230 kg. I had yet to complete placing the bar on the rack but the referee had already issued the rack command.
“But it’s okay, maybe it wasn’t my day here today. I accept the decision as there are still many opportunities,” the four-time world champion said when met after the competition.
According to Bonnie, the 230 kg attempt was a strategy he planned so that he could improve his chances of winning the gold.
He also apologised to all Malaysians for failing to repeat his gold medal win in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.
“I will train harder for the Asian Para Games in Nagoya. When I return home, I will resume training and focus on my target,” he said.
In today’s competition, Bonnie could only record a best lift of 220 kg for 153.5 points for the bronze, behind Mark Swan, who won the first gold medal of the Glasgow Games with a lift of 222 kg for 153.9 points, and silver medalist Roland Ezuruike of Nigeria, who lifted 185 kg for 153.9 points. — Bernama
