Just ten months after taking up Para Powerlifting, Louise Sugden has been crowned European Champion after a stunning gold medal win in France.

Louise lifted 108kg at the Para Powerlifting European Championships in Berck-Sur-Mer to see off competition from Spain’s Maria Alcoba and Azerbaijan’s Aytan Baghirova.

The win caps a whirlwind year for Louise. On International Women’s Day she was announced as a recipient of sponsorship from disability charity Path to Success, as part of their new Path to Tokyo initiative. Louise is receiving funding from Path to Success towards coaching, training and travel costs in the build of to the Tokyo Paralympics. She went on to celebrate this news by winning a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in April.

Louise, 33, is setting her sights on a first Paralympic medal at Tokyo in 2020 having previously represented the GB Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, and at London 2012. She won five European Championship bronze medals in her time as a Wheelchair Basketball player.

About Path to Success

Path to Success is a charity that focusses on disability causes, and was founded in 2005 by philanthropist Anita Choudhrie. On International Women’s Day 2018, PTS launched the Path to Tokyo Campaign, providing financial support to women with disabilities hoping to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics.