Liam Mcgarry competing at the Dubai Para Powerlifting World Cup 2021 Liam competing at the Dubai Para Powerlifting World Cup in June 2021

Since graduating from BU in 2020, Liam Mcgarry鈥檚 Para Powerlifting career has gone聽from strength to strength.

Despite the challenges of聽Covid-19 lockdowns, in March of this year,聽Liam not only picked up a silver medal at the Manchester 2021 Para Powerlifting World Cup, but also broke the British record.

鈥淚 felt as though, after a year in lockdown, it really was my time. I felt good enough and strong enough to start taking on the world鈥檚 best,鈥澛爏ays Liam.聽鈥淢y performance in Manchester opened up a Wildcard to compete in Tokyo. Unfortunately, the new British record of 210kg that I set at the next big event 鈥� the Dubai Para Powerlifting World Cup in June 鈥� wasn鈥檛 enough for the Wildcard. But it was an amazing experience to represent GB abroad and it will be invaluable moving聽into聽the聽cycle to compete in the 2024 Paris Paralympics.鈥澛�

Liam鈥檚 journey into Para Powerlifting started in 2017 when, while聽at 成人直播 studying Sports Psychology & Coaching Sciences, he was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis 鈥� inflammation of the spinal cord. Soon after his diagnosis, Liam discovered Para Powerlifting through the Spinal Games, determined to keep a focus through sport.聽聽

鈥淎fter my injury, I was at a crossroads, not really knowing where to go. Once I found the route of Para Powerlifting, everyone moved heaven and earth to help me.聽SportBU聽moved the equipment around in the gym so that I could have a bench in there and Dan Boer,聽their聽Strength & Conditioning聽Coach, spent up to聽four聽hours in the gym each day with me,鈥欌�� Liam recalls.

Liam on his diagnosis

I still see myself as doing a lot more than a lot of able-bodied people. I don鈥檛 really see myself as someone that people need to feel sorry for.

Soon after, in 2019, Liam鈥檚 hard work and determination to compete at the highest level聽paid off 鈥� he won both the British and English Para Powerlifting Championships. And now, with his silver medal at the 2021 Para Powerlifting World Cup under his belt, Liam has his sights firmly set on the next big competition in the calendar聽鈥撀爐he聽Para Powerlifting World Championships, due to take place in Georgia in November.

Liam said:聽鈥淚鈥檝e just experienced the most gruelling eight聽weeks of my life, preparing for the upcoming World Championships. It鈥檚 been pretty tough, with a 7k bike or swim in the morning, followed by up to four聽hours of weight training in the afternoon, six days per week. The focus is now on building my strength.聽I鈥檓 determined to go the Worlds as strong as I can be.鈥欌��

If Liam can achieve聽a top-eight ranking at the World Championships聽in Georgia, he鈥檒l secure聽his place at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. And with聽the聽European Championships and Commonwealth Games just around the corner聽in 2022, it looks set to be a busy few years for the British record聽holder.

Liam's advice for the next generation of athletes

Dream big and work hard. My first piece of advice is to get started. I came out of hospital and went straight back to sport. My second piece of advice is set your dreams nice and big and make sure you put the work in to achieve them.