Louise Sugden is off to Paris, as she qualifies for Team GB’s Paralympic powerlifting team
Newbury powerlifter Louise Sugden is off to the Paralympics in Paris.
The 40-year-old is heading to her fourth games, having represented Great Britain in Wheelchair basketball at Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
After switching sports in her thirties, Sugden took the powerlifting bronze medal in Toyko in 2021, but later suffered an injury which forced her to miss the Commonwealth Games and put her participation in Paris in doubt.
“I had two tears in my shoulder and I also had a subluxed bicep tendon”, she said.
“Most people probably won't even know what that means, but essentially they had to go in and sew me back together.
“As a wheelchair user, it meant that I was completely reliant on people for three months, which is very difficult when you're stubborn and independent like me!
“It took a little while to get any strength back in that side.
“But it's been almost two years since my surgery and I've been back to full strength for six months, so it's been quite a journey!
“When I initially met the surgeons, they didn't know if I'd make it back.
“And if I did, it was going to be 18 months to two years.
“I said to them, ‘well, I don't have that long. I have a Paralympics to qualify for!’”
A great performance at a competition in Georgia at the end of June confirmed that Sugden’s dream had been realised, reaching the necessary standard to qualify for Team GB once again.
Ahead of her fourth games however, does the novelty ever wear off?
“Well, I know what's happening now!”, she explained.
“I think the first one I went to, I was just in a little bit of a daze.
“I didn't really know what was happening. It was all very overwhelming.
“Now I see the first time Paralympians in our squad, and their excitement, and I love that!
“I do have excitement, but it's very different to what they experience.
“It's great to have them around because it reminds you of what it is we're going to do.”
For such an experienced competitor, Sugden it better equipped than most to deal with the pressures of the biggest stage, but do nerves still play a part?
“I get waves of nerves”, she said.
“And on the day of competition, probably the night before, I'll be a wreck.
“I think that it's something that shows that you care. I think that nerves are really important.
“I’ll be watching the Olympics and every now and again it will hit me that we're going out there soon!”
Tokyo was a strange affair for all involved, with various Covid-era measures still in place. Sugden is looking forward to a proper Paralympics in France.
“Tokyo was weird because there was no one in the stadium apart from a small group of people.
“And it kind of almost took a bit of pressure off because nobody was watching.
“So while I'm sure I will feed off the crowd, it is an added element of pressure and expectation.
“I know that my friends and family are just really, really happy to be involved.”
In order to give her the best chance at a medal, Sugden’s team have made the decision to drop down a weight class from the 86kg event to the 79kg.
“There's five kilos in qualification between eight and third”, Sugden said.
“So the margins are really small. And I think it's going to be one hell of a competition.
“First and second are a little bit away from everyone. So they're going to have their own battle, but the battle for third will well and truly be on.”
A motivational speaker when she’s not performing, Sugden sees the opportunity to inspire others as a privilege.
“I think that one of my main jobs as a Paralympian, as an athlete, is to show people that they can do more than they think they can.
“I definitely never imagined that I'd be as strong as I am and I think that a lot of women would never really think about doing a strength sport.
“I think that's the most important thing. I'm not saying I'm going to inspire people to go to the Olympics or anything, but just to challenge themselves to be better and realise what they can be capable of.”
The Women's 79kg Final takes place on Saturday 7th September at 5pm.
