Biggest women’s powerlifting pushes of 2013

With just under one week to go until the biggest IPC Powerlifting World Championships in history, the second of a two part guide featuring the biggest male and female lifts of 2013 could indicate some faces to watch from 5-11 April. 30 Mar 2014

France's Souhad Ghazouani poses with her gold medal at the 2013 IPC Powerlifting Open European Championships in Aleksin, Russia.

ⒸIPC

By Luke Jackson | For the IPC

Powerlifting is a real stronghold in Nigerian sport and Obiji is another one of the many top level female powerlifters who have been produced by the African nation.

All 20, ten men and ten women, of the current world record holders will be competing at the 2013 IPC Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai, UAE, from 5 April.

They are part of a total of 365 lifters from 68 countries, the largest number of athletes ever at an IPC Powerlifting World Championships, and all at the start of the qualifying period for Rio 2016.

Whether it is Mansour Pourmirzaei in the men’s edging closer to the 300kg mark for Iran or Turkey’s Nazmiye Muslu lifting over twice her body weight, this two part guide to the biggest pushes of 2013 could give a clue as to who will be the biggest lifters of 2014.

Souhad Ghazouani, France

At the 2013 IPC Powerlifting European Championships in Alexsin, Russia, Ghazouani lifted 150kg in the women's -73kg weight class to add four kg on to her own world record that she had previously broke at London 2012. By doing so, she won gold.

Nazmiye Muslu, Turkey

Also in Alexin, Turkey's Muslu proved to be the star of the first day as she broke the world record en route to becoming European Champion in the women's -41kg category with a lift of 100kg.

Esther Oyema, Nigeria

Outstandingly, the 31-year-old from Nigeria was able to break the world record twice with her second and third lifts in the women's -55kg weight class at the 2013 IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships as she set a new mark of 122kg.

Loveline Obiji, Nigeria

Powerlifting is a real stronghold in Nigerian sport and Obiji is another one of the many top level female powerlifters who have been produced by the African nation. In 2013, she lifted 140kg at the 5th Fazza International Powerlifting Championships to claim top spot in the women's -86kg category.

Precious Orji, Nigeria

Unsurprisingly, the final place in the women's big lifts of 2013 list is taken up by yet another Nigerian. This time, it is the 33-year-old Orji, who regularly competes against Obiji in the +86kg category. At last year's 5th Fazza International Powerlifting Championships she was able to edge out her compatriot with a lift of 142kg. However, due to the 50kg weight advantage that she has over Obiji, Orji failed to finish above her rival on this occasion.

The 2013 IPC Powerlifting World Championships begin on 5 April and run for six days until 11 April.

The competition will be livestreamed on Paralympic.org.