Ridge Barredo experienced a painful knee injury during his third Commonwealth Games weightlifting campaign on July 30, 2026, yet he remains determined to continue competing. Barredo described hearing his knee "pop out and pop back in" during his failed third snatch attempt in the men's 110kg class, where he attempted to lift 162 kilograms.

By the time he spoke to the media after being helped off the Armadillo stage, Barredo said he was "just a little bit uncomfortable" and rated his pain as a six or seven out of 10, down from an initial eight or nine out of 10. Despite the injury, the 30-year-old vowed to return to the Commonwealth Games in Amdavad in four years, stating, "I'm still relatively young, still hungry for it, still want to be the best in Australia."

Barredo also reflected on his past reality TV career, including his appearance on Married At First Sight three years ago, saying, "My TV career is definitely done, I've found my partner. I'm off reality TV. Wouldn't recommend it." He expressed a preference for the challenges of weightlifting over the "toxic environment" of reality television, noting that his Google descriptor shifted from "athlete" or "weightlifter" to "internet personality" after his TV stint.

He is not alone in prioritizing sport over reality TV, with Scottish swimmer Katie Shanahan revealing she chose to focus on swimming rather than appearing on Love Island last year.

Barredo concluded with a firm commitment to his sport: "I'm not done yet, no way. Not a chance. I'll be back for sure. Four times, watch, mark my words."

Sources