Dan McGauley recently won not only one, but two European gold medals in Bordeaux, France, making his lifetime total five gold medals. McGauley himself only weighs 127 pounds (57 kg) and is 5 ft 2, but is a force to be reckoned with, having already been a Commonwealth champion four times and a British champion once prior to entering European competition. He also has had to overcome a lot to get to this stage of competition, as, in addition to Down Syndrome, McGauley also has autism, is deaf in his left ear, and had two open-heart surgeries when he was younger. Even still, McGauley participated in the European championships against non-disabled athletes and is continually inspiring those around him. 

Competing in the raw and equipped (weight belt and gloves) bench press for under 59 kg, McGauley brought back gold medals for both events, benching 154 lbs (70 kg) for the classic, and 198 lbs (90 kg) for the equipped. Having once been told he would “never achieve anything,” McGauley has added another international competition to his repertoire, going all the way back to his first gold medal at the 2015 Powerlifting Commonwealth Championship in Vancouver. This earlier competition came only a few years after McGauley started powerlifting as well, as he first was introduced to the sport after being in a wheelchair for a short time and went to the gym to lose weight. Since then, his personal bests have been 256 in the deadlift, 286 in the squat, and the new record of 198 in the bench (all equipped). 

Mc Gauley has also had a lot of support from his mother, Judith, who has supported him throughout these competitions. Also a powerlifter, Judith has mentioned that, although many in their local gym often find it an effort to work out after a long day at the job, Dan’s smiling and laughing is all that they need to find motivation. She also explains how good powerlifting is for her son, as she spoke about how the repetition of the sport and the simplicity of lifting the bar is helpful and natural to Dan, and is especially important since he can fail the lift and be disqualified just as anyone else can in competition. In general, Judith is inspired, just as so many have been across the world by Dan McGauley’s discipline, effort, and impressive feats at the international level.