World record falls at IPC Powerlifting Asian Championships

Nigeria's Paralympic champion Yakubu Adesokan obliterates world record lifting more than three times his bodyweight. 03 Nov 2013
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Nigeria's Yakubu Adesokan winning gold at London 2012

Nigeria's Yakubu Adesokan winning gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

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By IPC

The opening day of the 2013 IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, saw Nigeria’s Paralympic champion Yakubu Adesokan set a new world record in the men’s up to 49kg class by lifting more than three times his bodyweight.

After winning Paralympic gold last year in London, 34 year old Adesokan came into the competition as hot favourite and did not disappoint. Leading after every round, Adesokan, who only weighs 47kg, lifted 176kg in the third and final round to break Taha Abdelmagid of Egypt’s previous world record set in February by 11kg.

Just 1kg behind in silver medal position, with a lift of 175kg, was Vietnam’s Van Cong Le, whilst Jordan’s Omar Qwarada took bronze lifting 167kg.

In the women’s up to 41kg class, China’s two-time Paralympic silver medallist Zhe Cui claimed gold with a third round lift of 95kg.

Going in to the final round, 26 year old Cui was in fourth position, however she saved her best for last to push Indonesia’s Ni Nengah Widiasih into silver and Nigeria’s Ruth Dodo in to bronze.

Widiasih’s best lift was also 95kg, which she managed in the second round, however her attempts to first equal, and then break the world record, in the third and fourth rounds were unsuccessful. Dodo’s best lift was 89kg in the second round.

Earlier in the day at the Titiwangsa Stadium, the Opening Ceremony for the 2013 IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships took place.

Around 200 athletes from 30 countries are taking part in the competition which is the last stop for athletes before the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships which take place next April in Dubai, UAE.

Competition will continue on Monday and will last through to Thursday 7 November and all athletes competing in the Kuala Lumpur will have the opportunity to achieve the Minimum Qualifying Standard (MQS) for next April’s event.

For the latest updates and pictures from Kuala Lumpur, follow IPC Powerlifting on Facebook and Twitter.

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