Dubai 2023: Top eight moments

From record-breaking shows to historic firsts, the Dubai 2023 Para Powerlifting World Championships raised the bar in terms of performance, competition, personal records, and organisation. 

In the end, it was a successful nine days of an event that witnessed a spectacular display of power, strength, ecstasy, and pride. 

Here are eight top moments to take away from Dubai.

China tops medals 

Much like Tbilisi 2021, China dominated the show, topping the medals table with 18 medals that had nine gold medals, four more than last time, followed by Iran and Nigeria with three and two gold medals, respectively. 

It was a women domination for China with several expected winners like Paralympic stars Guo Lingling (women’s up to 45 kg), Cui Zhe (women’s up to 41 kg) and Tan Yujiao (women’s up to 67 kg) regaining the title, and there were a few who made heads turn with their spectacular performances.

Lingling in fact continued her dream run in Dubai with a world record show in women’s up to 45 kg – she bettered her own world record twice with lifts of 119 kg and 120 kg.

Among the men, Qi Yongkai clinched his first world title in the up to 59kg category, with a powerful lift of 194 kg. The medal, Yongkai said “will motivate me to work hard and defend my Paralympic medal.”

Tbilisi 2021 bronze medallist Yi Zhou too emerged victorious with an amazing show of 215 kg at the bar in men’s up to 65 kg. His effort saw him finishing ahead of Paralympic and world champions including Algeria’s Hocine Bettir and Amir Jafari of Iran. 

A dream came true

Among many dreams, Mariana D’Andrea’s dream turned real at Dubai 2023. She won her first World Championships title in a drama-filled final moments when world records were broken thrice. It was also first gold for Brazil at the elite championships.

The Brazilian herself broke the world record twice, overcoming former champion Bose Omolayo and set a new record at 151 kg – breaking it by six kilos - to claim the gold medal in women’s up to 79 kg. 

While D’Andrea’s incredible power and confidence were in display, she announced her form just one year ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. 

Powerful Ahmed

A new benchmark was set. Rehab Ahmed surpassed expectations of many to take her fourth gold at the World Championships and this time in a new category – women’s up 55kg.

Ahmed’s remarkable display – that included an effort of 130kg to finish ahead of Paralympic and world champion Mariana Shevchuk of Ukraine (126 kg) - was the highlight of Egypt’s campaign at Dubai 2023. It was also Egypt’s only gold at the championships. 

A confident Ahmed later went on to promise that she will win the gold at Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. 

New stars from Nigeria

News stars were born for Nigeria at the Dubai 2023 Worlds.

When Nigeria’s Paralympic and world champion Bose Omolayo, Loveline Obiji, Lucy Ejike and Folashade Oluwafemiayo faltered, failing to bring home a gold medal, Kafila Almaruf and Onyinyechi Mark rose to the top of the podium for the African nation in the Dubai 2023 Worlds. 

What was unique about their campaigns – Almaruf broke a long-standing world record en route winning her first World Championships title. She later said her success in Dubai – with an effort of 151 kg – was the result of her determination and self-belief.

Similarly, an emotional Mark clinched the women’s up to 61 kg gold breaking her own world record set at the Cairo 2022 African Open Championships, not just once but twice, at 144kg and 146 kg in Dubai.

The African ladies will certainly be among the ones to watch out for in Paris 2024.

Triple delight    

In every World Championships there are records galore and Dubai 2023 wasn’t any different. What captured onlookers’ attention was the regional records which were broken three times (each) in one event. 

China’s Zheng Feifei (158 kg) finally ended her six-year-old silver medal jinx at a World Championships not just with a gold but breaking the Asian record thrice and setting a new world record in the women's up to 86k category. 

In the same event, Ukraine’s Nataliia Oliinyk, the Tokyo 2020 silver medallist in the women’s up to 79kg, put up an extraordinary show to break the European record thrice en route to settling for silver on 153 kg.

Meanwhile, El Salvador’s Herbert Aceituno improved his own Americas record by breaking it three times in the men’s up to 59 kg. He eventually took the silver at 193 kg.    

Iran dominate heavyweight events

Without any doubt, the Iranian legend Siamand Rahman was missed at the Dubai 2023 Worlds. But Iranian powerlifters 
made sure they continued the legacy of the legend, also warning their rivals ahead of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games.

In men’s over 107 kg, Ahmad Aminzadeh defended his title in style with a powerful lift of 255 kg and hoped to get closer to 300 kg to continue the bequest of Rahman, who holds the world record at 310 kg achieved at Rio 2016. Amanzadeh now aims for a gold medal at Paris 2024 Paralympics.

As expected, compatriot Aliakbar Gharibshahi produced a powerful show lifting 248 kg to regain his title. He was one kilo better than Mongolia's Paralympic champion Sodnompiljee Enkhbayar (247 kg) and hoped to continue the momentum at the upcoming Asian Para Games. 

Historic firsts

Dubai 2023 will not just be imprinted in the memories of the visiting nations; but it will be etched in the history of the sport.

Several nations got their first-time world champions, some their first ever medals and a few made it their first-time appearance. 

For India, junior powerlifters Honey Dabas and Rahul Jograjiya brought home the historic honours. Dabas claimed the nation’s first ever gold with an effort of 135 kg, while compatriot Jograjiya followed with a lift of 132kg for the silver in the fiercely contested up to 72 kg Rookie & Next Gen weight category. 

For the first time ever, six nations including Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Nepal, Yemen, and Zambia took part in the elite championships. Meanwhile, Iran had women representation for the first time at the Para Powerlifting Worlds – Nikoo Rozbahani and Mahdieh Mohammadian Sarcheshmeh in the women’s over 86 kg and up to 55 kg events, respectively.

Dubai also became the first city to host the World Championships for the third time after its 2014 and 1998 editions.    

First ever Team events

Like the individual events raised the bar, the team events – both men and women held for the first time in a World Championships – were filled with thrill and excitement. 

It not just gave the athletes an opportunity to return to the bench, but represented a significant result that will motivate them to work towards their individual goals. 

Among them were Iraq’s Rasool Mohsin, for whom the Dubai 2023 World Para Powerlifting Championships will remain special for many reasons - first his return to medal-winning ways after 13 years (a bronze in the men’s up to 80 kg) and then helping Iraq the gold in first men’s team event. Team Iraq defeated Ukraine with a total lift of 406.42 against 386.8 kg in the gold medal match. Colombia were the bronze medallists.

China took the first women’s team gold – thanks to the efforts of their champions Lingling and Feifei who accumulated a total of 313.376 kg against Brazil’s 293.7 kg. Ukraine took the third place.

Complete results from the Dubai 2023 World Championships can be found here.