China’s Lei Liu, is the current world-record holder and reigning Paralympic champion in the -67.5kg men’s class.
The 25-year-old, who contracted polio as a young child, hit the big stage five years ago in Beijing, when he was chosen to carry the Paralympic torch through Zaozhuang in the run-up to the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.
Liu put on an astounding performance at those Games, winning the -75kg event with a top lift of 225.0kg.
He was then switched into the -67.5kg category, and went on to win gold at the 2010 IPC Powerlifting World Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. His heaviest lift of 222.50 kg broke the world record for both seniors and juniors.
But this wasn’t enough for the Chinese champion, as with constant training and guidance from his coach Li Weipu, Liu won gold and broke his own world record with a lift of 226kg at the London 2012 Games.
