For many Para athletes, the journey to the Games started at a Commonwealth Sport GAPS camp, a programme designed to remove barriers to participation for athletes and coaches competing at the highest level.  

Kevin Powell embodies the spirit of GAPS. Having attended a GAPS camp in 2024, he is dedicated to developing Para sport in his home of Jamaica and raising awareness for those with disabilities.  

“I was born with arthrogryposis. Immediately, I had surgery to get my legs and joints straightened because they were folded in the womb. My last surgery was done when I was in 5th grade.” 

Kevin only embarked on a professional sporting career in 2022 following the tragic passing of his wife. Using sport as a coping mechanism for his grief, Kevin took up Para Athletics and Para Badminton at 42, losing 40kg in the process.   

“I lost my wife to breast cancer, and it was a tumultuous period in my life. There began the journey of fitness and taking control of my life and my own health. 

“It dawned on me, that with this new level of fitness I was able to pursue the dream that I always had as a child. The dream of participating in sport.  I wasn't given that opportunity as a child because of resource constraints and the accessibility issues that persisted in my country. 

“I was able to participate not just in Para Badminton but in shot put, doing well and realising my dreams as a teenager, at the ripe old age of 42.” 

Attending his first GAPS camp in Mauritius in 2024, the training provided offered new opportunities for Kevin. 

“I can't wait to go back to Jamaica and share with fellow Para athletes, to share with Para coaches to share with the wider population that Para athletes all over the world deserve to be listened to, deserve a chance to shine and be competitive in the world of sport!" 

When we spoke to Kevin, following a day at his job at the Jamaica Stock Exchange Ecampus, sporting his trademark smile he reflected on the training and opportunities that the Mauritius camp had provided him with as an aspiring athlete. 

“At the GAPS camp, I was still fresh in shot put, it was a new sport for me. Being there for two weeks, I had lots of exposure to technical experts about the sport, who helped me improve my technique.  

“Outside of that, I learnt a lot about sport psychology. I learned a lot about just being competitive, about  the importance of the exercise regime and how important it is to eat properly and to train your body for that extreme push that we sometimes put on our body as athletes. 

“Being at a world-class facility in Mauritius, it was aspirational. It's what I want to see for my country. I want Jamaica to have a stadium like that. I want Jamaica to have facilities for disabled and Para athletes to be exposed to and to use. It was a beautiful experience.” 

GAPS camps offer training and support to athletes whilst providing firm foundations for advocacy and igniting passion to make life changing decisions.   

Back home in his community, Kevin still plays Para Badminton and wants to spread the word about Para sports and life in Jamaica through developing a podcast on the island.  

“We're going to invite athletes from the community to come and talk about the various sporting activities available. We're going to explore what it means to live with a disability in Jamaica. 

“I want to go further: What does marriage mean? What does being intimate mean? What do  relationships and friendships look like? What does going out to a social event look like for people with disabilities? Because those are the conversations you don’t hear.” 

Although Kevin will not be competing at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, competitive sport is not entirely out of the question yet. Swapping his shot put for a badminton racquet, Kevin hopes to compete at the LA 2028 Paralympic Games in Para Badminton. 

“We're working on some tournaments this year in Latin America and then qualifications for the Paralympics in LA. Those are my sporting goals. 

“But in terms of other goals, I'm going to get more stories out. The more people that we can touch, the more people that we can encourage to be a part of the community and to be a part of the sporting world. 

“I'm never one to shy away from telling the story or speaking and sharing, so be ready!” 

Through its network of training camps and partnerships, the GAPS programme is strengthening Para sport systems across the Commonwealth. By supporting athletes and coaches from developing and emerging nations, it expands opportunities across a wider range of Para disciplines, improves performance pathways and contributes to greater diversity at major international events. Since 2018, over 700 athletes and coaches have taken part in GAPS camps.   

Watch Kevin's journey here...

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