A power lifter with Down Syndrome has been hailed an inspiration after overcoming his disability to win double European gold.<br /><br />Determined Dan McGauley, 33, who was told he'd "never achieve anything," was already a world champion, four-times Commonwealth champion and British champion before his European debut earlier this month.<br /><br />At just 5ft2 and weighing 56kg, the athlete has overcome tough odds - including two rounds of open-heart surgery - to compete at the highest level against non-disabled athletes. <br /><br />But now Dan, who also has autism and is deaf in his left ear, has just registered a double victory in Bordeaux, France, bringing back two gold medals in both the raw and equipped bench press.<br /><br />In the under 59kg weight category, Dan benched 70kg raw and 90kg equipped - much to the delight of his mum Judith McGauley, who was there competing alongside him.<br /><br />Judith, from Colchester, Essex, paid tribute to her son's achievements and said: "The amazing thing about Dan is he inspires able bodied lifters as well as people with disabilities.<br /><br />"Loads of people have said to us that they go to work and come home after a long day and it's an effort to go to the gym.<br /><br />"But that they see Dan there, smiling and laughing despite all his problems, and it gives them the motivation they need."<br /><br />Dan was born with a heart defect and underwent two rounds of open surgery when he was aged four months and two years.<br /><br />He was temporarily wheelchair-bound and first got into powerlifting more than ten years ago when he visited the gym to lose weight.<br /><br />He won his first gold medal at an international competition during the Powerlifting Commonwealth Championship back in 2015 in Vancouver, Canada. <br /><br />And Dan’s powerlifting has even inspired Judith to take up the sport and compete alongside her son.<br /><br />She has since won gold medals in her age category at the last Commonwealth Games in Canada and South Africa and a silver and a gold medal during the recent European Championship.<br /><br />Judith, a retired chef, said: "Dan's autistic as well and a lot of powerlifting is about repetition.<br /><br />"When he's powerlifting he likes carrying out the same routine over and over again - it comes naturally to him.<br /><br />"When he's underneath the bar that bar doesn't know him from anyone else - there is no distinction made because he's got problems.<br /><br />"If his form is incorrect or he makes mistakes, he can get red lights and fail the lift just like his competition.<br /><br />"He's so respected all over the world because people know the training that goes into equip lifting - but it's the discipline that he really enjoys. <br /><br />"I started training alongside him years after he started and he always jokes around saying that he has way more gold medals than me.<br /><br />"He is just a brilliant person. He loves the sport and everyone around him support him doing it."
