Melbourne Open Paves Way For A Huge Year In Para Powerlifting

The nation’s top Para-powerlifters will be vying for a place on Australia’s team for the Commonwealth Games when Paralympics Australia hosts the final sanctioned event of the year, the Para Powerlifting 2025 Melbourne Open, on December 13.  

Members of the national squad who competed at the recent World Championships in Egypt will headline the event, which is also set to feature some exciting newcomers to the sport as it enters a new era of growth and development in Australia. 

The Melbourne Open is the last stop before a packed 2026 program that includes three Grand Prix events, as well as the annual National Championships. 

Staging the upcoming events successfully could provide a big boost to Paralympics Australia’s quest to host a World Cup event in 2027 and launch a bid for Australia to host the World Para Powerlifting Championships in 2031, the year before the Brisbane Paralympic Games. 

The priority now, however, is to boost entry numbers for the Melbourne Open by inviting athletes who may be early in their careers or low on competitive experience to test their abilities and, potentially, work towards joining the high performance pathway. 

“Building on our Nationals from last year, which was a huge success, we’re really excited about the Melbourne Open, our final event of the year and the last opportunity for athletes to qualify for the Commonwealth Games,” said Courtney Pascoe, Para Powerlifting Competition and Officials Manager at Paralympics Australia.  

“There’s also going to be some newcomers that are travelling interstate to participate. There’s really never been a better time to be joining our sport, there’s so much going on and so much opportunity.” 

Technical officials who were trained at the National Championships last year will be used for the Melbourne event and the staging will be world standard, with a lifted platform, atmospheric lighting, electronic scoreboard and a live feed going to audiences worldwide. 

“Some of our current athletes looking to improve from Worlds will be there,” Pascoe said.  

“Having the beginners there too really shows the beauty of this sport. The best part about powerlifting is that people support each other, whether it’s you’re first time competing and you’re benching 40 kilos or you’re an Australian champion benching over 150 kilos.  

“Everyone’s there trying to do their best and build their standards, but also just share the joy of being involved and growing the sport. 

“We are inviting some of our Para-powerlifting alumni to come watch the event, too. It would be nice for them to see how the sport’s evolving. It will be a great event to participate in but also to come as a spectator and see what it’s all about.” 

Pascoe said the Melbourne Open would be the catapult into the first Grand Prix of 2026, in February.  

“The Nationals was great because it drew in a lot of attention from different countries,” she said. “We’re in the process now of applying for a World Cup in 2027 and we’re bidding to host the World Championships. It’s all about having more international competitions here in the lead up to Brisbane.” 

Entrants can register for the Melbourne Open here. Entries close on November 10.

By David Sygall, Paralympics Australia.

Published 29 October, 2025.