Australia has been represented in weightlifting / powerlifting at every Games between 1964 and 2012 and, in that time, won a medal at every Games except 1984 and 2012. Paralympic powerlifting has been competed at every Summer Paralympics since 1984. Weightlifting had been on the Paralympic program since 1964, however after the 1992 Games the International Paralympic Committee made the decision drop weightlifting and hold powerlifting events only.
Notable Australian athletes include:
- Vic Renalson, has won 3 gold medals and 1 silver medal in weightlifting events. He also won 2 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals in athletics events.
- Brian McNicholl, has won 1 gold medal, 1 silver medal and 2 bronze medals in weightlifting and powerlifting events.
- Darren Gardiner, has won 2 silver medals.
Medal table
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 Tokyo | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1968 Tel Aviv | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1972 Heidelberg | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1976 Toronto | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1980 Arnhem | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1984 Stoke Mandeville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 Seoul | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1992 Barcelona | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1996 Atlanta | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 Sydney* | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 Athens | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 Beijing | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 London | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals (13 entries) | 4 | 8 | 5 | 17 |
Summer Paralympic Games
Australian representatives in weightlifting and powerlifting.
1964
Australia represented by:
Men – Michael Dow, Gary Hooper, Vic Renalson
Australia won three silver medals.
| Medal | Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
 Silver
|
Michael Dow | Men's Featherweight |
|
Silver
|
Gary Hooper | Men's Lightweight |
|
Silver
|
Vic Renalson | Men's Heavyweight |
1968
Australia represented by:
Men – Gary Hooper, Vic Renalson
| Medal | Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
 Gold
|
Vic Renalson | Men's Heavyweight |
1972
Australia represented by:
Men – Dennis Kay, Terry Mason, Vic Renalson
| Medal | Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
|
Gold
|
Vic Renalson | Men's heavyweight |
1976
Australia represented by:
Men – Terry Mason, Vic Renalson
| Medal | Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
|
Gold
|
Vic Renalson | Men's middleweight |
 Bronze
|
Terry Mason | Men's light featherweight |
1980
Australia represented by:
Men – Barry Kalms, Brian McNicholl, John Sheil
| Medal | Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
|
Bronze
|
Barry Kalms | Men's lightweight −65 kg amputee |
|
Bronze
|
Brian McNicholl | Men's middleweight −75 kg paraplegic |
1984
Australia represented by:
Men – Brian McNicholl
Australia did not win any medals. Brian McNicholl came 4th in his event.
1988
Australia represented in powerlifting by:
Men – Michael Farrell, Matthew Pobje
Australia represented in weightlifting by:
Men – Ray Epstein, Brian McNicholl, Arnie Money, Paul O'Brien, Col Richards
| Medal | Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
|
Silver
|
Matthew Pobje | Men's 100 kg |
|
Bronze
|
Michael Farrell | Men's 100 kg |
|
Bronze
|
Brian McNicholl | Men's 85 kg |
1992
Australia represented by:
Men – Ray Epstein, Steve Green, Brian McNicholl
| Medal | Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
|
Gold
|
Brian McNicholl | Men's 90 kg |
1996
Australia represented in powerlifting by:
Men – Willem Bos, Michael Farrell, Brian McNicholl, Richard Nicholson
Coach – Blagoi Blagoev
| Medal | Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
|
Silver
|
Brian McNicholl | Men's Up To 90 kg |
2000
Australia represented in powerlifting by:
Men – Shaun Cavuoto, Darren Gardiner, Steve Green, Paul Hyde, Richard Nicholson, Kahi Puru, Wayne Sharpe
Women –
Deahnne McIntyre, Julie Russell, Vicky Machen, Kim Neuenkirchen, Melissa Trafela, Sue Twelftree
Coaches – Blagoi Blagoev (Head), Ray Epstein
| Medal | Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
|
Silver
|
Richard Nicholson | Men's 60 kg |
2004
Australia represented in powerlifting:
Men – Darren Gardiner, Steve Green, Wayne Sharpe
Women – Deahnne McIntyre
Coaches – Martin Leach (Coach), Michael Farrell
| Medal | Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
|
Silver
|
Darren Gardiner| Men's +100 kg |
Gardiner originally finished third but was awarded the silver medal after Habibollah Mousavi gold medallist in +100 kg was disqualified after a positive doping test.
2008
Representing Australia in powerlifting:
Men – Darren Gardiner, Abebe Fekadu
Women – Deahnne McIntyre
Coaches – Ray Epstein (Head Coach), Bill Nancarrow
| Medal | Name | Event |
|---|---|---|
|
Silver
|
Darren Gardiner | Men's 100 +kg |
2012
Selected team of 2 athletes.
Men – Darren Gardiner and Abebe Fekadu.
Coaches – Ray Epstein (Head)
Darren Gardiner, a previous Games medallist competed at his fourth Games and Fekadu, a refugee from Ethiopia at his second Games. Australia did not win any medals.
2016
No athletes selected.