News

13 athletes chosen to represent Canada

OTTAWA - (2026 - 06 - 23) - Commonwealth Sport Canada (CSC) and Weightlifting Canada Haltérophilie (WCH) are proud to announce the athletes who will represent Team Canada in weightlifting at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, taking place July 23 to August 2, 2026.

This year’s team features two returning athletes, including Olympic and Commonwealth Champion, Maude Charron (Rimouski, QC), who won gold at the 2022 and 2018 Commonwealth Games, and Shad Darsigny (Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec), who took bronze at the 2022 Games. The remaining 11 team members will all be making their Commonwealth Games debut. 

“Canadian weightlifting continues to build momentum on the international stage, and this team is a testament to the depth of talent being developed across the country,” says Kelly Laframboise, Director, Team Canada 2026. “From Olympic and Commonwealth Games medalists to world junior champions making their Games debut, these athletes have earned this opportunity and are ready to compete with confidence in Glasgow.”

Women’s Team:

The women’s team is led by the defending champion Charron, who will compete at 63kg. Charron has a resume that many in the sport would envy. In addition to her Commonwealth Games medals, she is an Olympic gold medalist (2020) and silver medalist (2024). At World Championships, she has captured a silver (2025) and bronze (2022). Charron is also a past Pan-American Games silver medalist (2023) and has captured numerous additional international medals throughout her career.

Also featured on the women’s is Charlotte Simoneau of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, a two-time World Junior gold medalist (2025, 2024). Simoneau will compete at 69kg.  

The strong women’s contingent also includes Etta Love from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan who will make her Commonwealth Games debut after earning gold at both the World Youth and Junior Championships in 2024; Champlain, Quebec’s Rebeka Groulx who won a bronze medal at the 2026 World Junior Championships and Plessissville, Quebec’s Ann-Sophie Taschereau who picked up a silver at the 2026 Pan American Championships.

Men’s Team:

The sole returning member of the men’s team will be Shad Darsigny. In addition to the bronze medal he won at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Darsigny is a two-time World Junior bronze medalist. He will look to return to the podium in Glasgow when he competes at 79kg.

Joining Shad Darsigny will be his bother Matt who will compete at 71kg. Matt Darsigny, also from Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, is a past World Junior bronze medalist himself, earning the medal in 2022.

Also competing will be Braydon Kennedy of Halifax, Nova Scotia at 94kg. Kennedy won the Commonwealth Championships in 2025 and will look to transition that momentum to the Games.

“I am honoured and grateful for the opportunity to represent Canada at my third Commonwealth Games,” said Maude Charron, two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist. “What makes it even more special is sharing this experience alongside a new generation of talented athletes who represent the future of our sport. I am looking forward to the challenge and to proudly wearing the maple leaf once again.”

The weightlifting team for Glasgow 2026 is aiming for between eight and nine medals at these Games, building on the eight medals, including two golds, they captured in Birmingham 2022.

The weightlifting competition at the 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow from July 26 - 30, featuring 16 events:

Men’s: 60kg, 65kg, 71kg, 79kg, 88kg, 94kg, 110kg, 110+kg

Women’s: 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 77kg, 86kg, 86+kg

Glasgow 2026 will include 10 sports, including six Para sports. The Commonwealth Games are the only multi-sport event that feature equal standing for sport and para-sport events. Up to 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories from across the Commonwealth will compete at the 2026 Commonwealth Games over 11 days of competition across the city of Glasgow.  

The weightlifting team which will represent Canada at the Glasgow 2026 Games includes:

Athletes:

Coaches:

ABOUT TEAM CANADA 2026

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will bring together 74 nations and territories in a celebration of sport, culture, and community. Team Canada will once again compete with pride, unity, and determination on the global stage on this important path to Olympic and Paralympic success. Team Canada will feature 148 athletes, including one guide, 81 team officials and 20 mission staff. Canada’s performance projection in 2026 is a top three ranking, in total medals, amongst all nations and territories competing. Team Canada’s dedicated mission team will provide an optimal environment by celebrating equality, diversity, and non-discrimination. This is in support of our goals needed to enable a best ever performance by Canadian athletes at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

ABOUT WEIGHTLIFTING CANADA HALTÉROPHILIE

Weightlifting Canada Haltérophilie (WCH) is the governing body for the sport of Olympic weightlifting in Canada. Formed in 1960 and incorporated as a Not-for-Profit in 1974, WCH has seen tremendous growth in the sport. WCH is dedicated to the promotion and development of Olympic Weightlifting in Canada. We will do so in a spirit of equity and fair play, while at the same time encouraging a fit for life philosophy

ABOUT COMMONWEALTH SPORT CANADA

Commonwealth Sport Canada (CSC) is the franchise holder for the Commonwealth Games and the Commonwealth sport movement in Canada. CSC supports Canada’s athletes to achieve excellence at Olympic and Paralympic Games and world championships and enriches the lives of youth across the Commonwealth and hosts the Commonwealth Games. For additional information go to: www.commonwealthsport.ca .

For more information, please contact:

Mac Read
Team Lead
Weightlifting Canada Haltérophilie
Email: [email protected]

Darren Matte
Media Attaché – Weightlifting
Email: [email protected]
(416) 768-6847

Patrick Kenny 
Communications Team Leader – Team Canada 2026
Email: [email protected]
(613) 724-7160