Dartford para powerlifter Liam McGarry hoping his rise from depths of despair ends with Commonwealth Games joy

After being diagnosed with transverse myelitis in 2017, Liam McGarry didn’t see a future for himself.

His diagnosis resulted in a T12 spinal chord injury, dashing any chance of a rugby career for the 25-year-old from Dartford. But while receiving treatment at The Spinal Treatment Centre at Salisbury District Hospital, a new sport gave him hope.

That sport has also given him a shot at Commonwealth Games glory this summer and he will make his debut at a major Games when he represents Team England in para powerlifting at Birmingham 2022.

“I think this sport for me has just completely turned my life around and after going through my injury in 2017, it was a bleak future,” said McGarry, who is one of more than 1,100 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing them to train full-time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering technology, science and medical support.

“I didn't really see anything coming, but the sport has allowed me to thrive again. When some people ask me, do you prefer your life before or after your injury and now it is getting to the point where I actually have to think about it.

“Because it's something I'm immensely proud of. A lot of athletes go through what we go through and then still get to the elite end of sport, it is mind-blowing.

“You've got to meet all your targets and meet everything that's expected of you from an elite sport point of view, but also you've got the ongoings of everyday life.”

McGarry’s talent for powerlifting was clear from the beginning, winning his event at the 2018 Inter-Spinal Unit Games at Stoke Mandeville having only been drafted into the team on the day.

More accolades followed as he was named English and