Bergner remembers looking up at the podium and seeing Hani Watson with the bronze medal around her neck. It was a historic moment, as she became the first female Australian Para-powerlifter to claim a Commonwealth Games medal.

The Queenslander, 39, secured bronze in the women's heavyweight event after mustering a one-rep maximum bench press of 127 kilograms.

The achievement was the crowning moment on a year of hard work for Watson under the tutelage of Bergner, who is the owner of the National Strength Performance Centre in Bulli.

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"I rang Hani out of the blue about 12 months ago because I thought she might have had a disability that would classify her in Para-powerlifting. We did some research and she was able to achieve classification, and we basically went from there," Bergner said.

"I was ecstatic for Hani. For someone to start like that and place at a huge international event like that, I was over the moon.

"I've had other athletes do some incredible feats, but at the moment, it would have to be one of the biggest achievements I've been part of so far."

Bergner has been a long-term powerlifting coach, and he was invited into the Australian Para-powerlifting program in 2017. He stepped into the role of head coach the following year, leading the team to the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

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One of the athletes from the 2018 Games, Ben Wright, also joined Bergner for the trip to Birmingham. Wright and Watson formed Australia's two-athlete Para-powerlifting team.

"Ben did very well, he's improved a lot," Bergner said.

"It was his third Comm Games and he went from coming eighth in Glasgow to sixth on the Gold Coast, to now fourth in 2022 [ in the men's heavyweight class]. Ben benched a whopping 190kg at 89kg body weight, which was very impressive, and a big personal best."

Bergner has now returned to Bulli, but has already set his eyes on the next big goal. Led by Watson, he believes the Aussies can taste more success at international competitions.

"We've got World Championships coming up in June next year, and then our next major event after that is the Paris 2024 Olympic Games," Bergner said. "Hani has got a lot of ability. If she stays with the sport long term, I think she has a good chance to place at Paris."

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