Powerlifter with Down Syndrome hailed an inspiration after overcoming disability to win double European gold

A powerlifter with Down Syndrome has been hailed an inspiration after overcoming his disability to win double European gold. Determined Dan McGauley, 33, who was told he’d "never achieve anything," was already a world champion, four-times Commonwealth champion and British champion before his European debut earlier this month.

At just 5ft2 and weighing 56kg, the athlete has overcome tough odds - including two rounds of open-heart surgery - to compete at the highest level against non-disabled athletes.

But now Dan, who also has autism and is deaf in his left ear, has just registered a double victory in Bordeaux, France, bringing back two gold medals in both the raw and equipped bench press. In the under 59kg weight category, Dan benched 70kg raw and 90kg equipped - much to the delight of his mum Judith McGauley, who was there competing alongside him.

Judith, from Colchester, Essex, paid tribute to her son’s achievements and said: "The amazing thing about Dan is he inspires able bodied lifters as well as people with disabilities.

"Loads of people have said to us that they go to work and come home after a long day and it’s an effort to go to the gym. But that they see Dan there, smiling and laughing despite all his problems, and it gives them the motivation they need."

Dan was born with a heart defect and underwent two rounds of open surgery when he was aged four months and two years. He was temporarily wheelchair-bound and first got into powerlifting more than ten years ago when he visited the gym to lose weight.

He won his first gold medal at an international competition during the Powerlifting Commonwealth Championship back in 2015 in Vancouver, Canada. And Dan’s powerlifting has even inspired Judith to take up the sport and compete alongside her son.

She has since won gold medals in her age category at the last Commonwealth Games in Canada and South Africa and a silver and a gold medal during the recent European Championship.

Judith, a retired chef, said: "Dan’s autistic as well and a lot of powerlifting is about repetition. When he’s powerlifting he likes carrying out the same routine over and over again - it comes naturally to him.

"When he’s underneath the bar that bar doesn’t know him from anyone else - there is no distinction made because he’s got problems. If his form is incorrect or he makes mistakes, he can get red lights and fail the lift just like his competition.

"He’s so respected all over the world because people know the training that goes into equip lifting - but it’s the discipline that he really enjoys. I started training alongside him years after he started and he always jokes around saying that he has way more gold medals than me.

"He is just a brilliant person. He loves the sport and everyone around him support him doing it."