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Cairo 2025: Top eight moments

From thrilling performances to first international glory and historic feats, the first ever World Para Powerlifting Championships in Egypt and Africa were packed with 10 days of memorable moments 24 Oct 2025
An athlete celebrates in joy
Nigeria's Rio 2016 silver medallist Esther Oyema returned to winning ways in a World Championships since Dubai 2015 to end a 11-year wait in Cairo. 
ⒸHiroki Nishioka / WPPO
By Priyanka Sharma l For World Para Powerlifting

From raw emotions to thrilling performances and historic feats, the Cairo 2025 World Para Powerlifting Championships delivered 10 days of unforgettable action as athletes battled for glory.

The first-ever World Championships held in Cairo — and in Africa — concluded with 573 athletes from 70 nations, including all Paralympic champions from the Paris 2024 Games, competing in the 11th edition. The event not only made history but also marked the beginning of the qualification pathway for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.

Here, we look back at some of the standout moments that defined the Cairo 2025 Worlds.

 

Historic first for Iran women

Iran’s men powerlifters have always been in the limelight for their power and strengths. Following in their footsteps, the women made their way into the podium for the first time ever in Cairo.

First, teenager Atiyehsadat Hosseini made history winning Iran’s first-ever women’s gold in World Para Powerlifting Championships history in Rookie & Next Gen category. Playing the sport for two years now, Husseini won the women’s up to 61kg category with a lift of 90 kg. 

Senior member Rozbahani Nikoo followed the suit in Elite competition taking the bronze in women's over 86kg with a lift of 152 kg. The gold was won by Nigeria’s Folashad Oluwafemiayo in the category.

 

First gold medal for Egypt 

It was an emotional moment for reigning Paralympic champion Mohamed Elmenyawy as he won his first World Championships title in front of his family and friends at the New Capital City Hall in Cairo. 

The 27-year-old home star returned to international stage one year after his incredible gold medal at Paris 2024 only to achieve his career-best 210 kg in the men’s up to 59 kg at home. 

“This gold medal means a lot to me — winning it in my home country, with my family and friends watching me compete live for the first time, makes it truly special,” said Elmenyawy, who warmly posed for photos with fans afterward. “It was an emotional moment, but I believed in my dream, in my training, and in the Almighty.”

 

 

Dream debuts 

Much like every World Championships, the Cairo 2025 had stand out performances including dream debuts by athletes as they won their first Worlds title in style. 

One among them was Nigeria’s debutant Rita Ferdinard who came from nowhere to clinch the women’s up to 79 kg gold.

It was a special one for Ferdinard as she shocked Paralympic champion Miaoyu Han of China in a show of power and courage on the opening day of Elite competitions.

Meanwhile, China’s Zhou Shiwei also won his first international title in spectacular fashion. Zhou, the 21-year-old who trained for nine years for a dream debut, took the gold in men's up to 65 kg gold ahead of Iran’s Mohsen Bakhtiar, the Paris 2024 bronze medallist in men’s up to 59 kg, and Algeria’s Hoccine Bettir, the Tbilisi 2021 world champion.

Surely, the gold medals marked a major milestone for both athletes, establishing them as names to watch in the years to come.

Oyema ends 11-year-wait 

Rio 2016 silver medallist Esther Oyema of Nigeria returned to winning ways in a World Championships since Dubai 2015 ending a 11-year wait in Cairo. 

Oyema, the 43-year-old, put up a clinical show with three clear lifts with the final one 125 kg fetching her the long-awaited gold. Paris 2024 silver medallist Besra Duman of Turkiye stayed close on the heels of the leader finishing on 121 kg for the second place, just one kilogram ahead of Russia’s Tamara Podpalnaia. 

“I’m so happy – it is not easy to come back and win a medal. The secret behind this medal is my coach as she knows the technicalities, she knows my strength, what I can do,” said the Nigerian in jubilation.

“I want to break the world record – it is just the beginning.”

 

 

Champions in new weight category

A new weight category might be a challenge for many other athletes but not for China’s three-time Paralympic champion Tan Yujiao, who smashed the four-year-old Asian record en route winning the women’s up to 73 kg final.

With a successful lift of 147 kg, she stunned reigning Paralympic champion in the category Mariana D’Ándrea of Brazil for the gold medal. The Brazilian settled on 141 kg - seven kilograms lesser than what she lifted in Paris 2024.

Despite the gold, Yujiao said: “I won the gold medal, but I felt I didn’t do my best. In the plan, I wanted to touch the world record. I need to work harder.”

Paris 2024 champion in men’s up to 80 kg, Roohallah Rostami of Iran faced the reigning Paralympic champion Yan Panpan for the first time in men’s up to 88kg final. And it was a thrilling battle to glory.

With both starting at 235 kg, the Chinese failed the second attempt while Iranian made a successful lift of 243 kg. 

The fate turned around in the third round as Panpan successfully lifted 244 kg while Rostami missed it. 

 

USA gets a medal 

Team USA received a big boost in the qualification pathway to LA 2028 as their seasoned lifter Bobby Body clinched his first ever World Championships medal in Cairo.

In the process, the 2023 Parapan American Games champion broke the Parapan Am Games record with an effort of 237 kg - his best ever effort.

“I feel very proud actually it was my lifestyle best. I didn’t get 240 kg but I didn’t get any energy left,” said the 51-year-old. 

“I couldn’t be prouder that we are the host country for the next Paralympic Games and I’m super excited in the pathway –hopefully I can remain in top three. I want to keep training hard and stay consistent in the next two years.  

 

 

Sweet revenges

The Cairo 2025 Worlds also witnessed sweet revenges as Turkiye’s Abdullah Kayapinar dethroned two-time Paralympic and world champion Omar Qarada for his first World Championship gold.

Kayapinar, the Paris 2024 silver medallist, lifted 179 kg in the third round to grab the gold in men’s up to 49 kg while Qarada settled for silver at 178 kg.

“After Paris 2024 Paralympics, I have been training very hard with my coach and I wished to break the world record here, but I couldn’t. I will try to break the record in future,” said Kayapinar.

Meanwhile, China’s Zheng Feifei had to wait one year to settle the score with her old rival, Brazil’s reigning Paralympic champion Tayana Madeiros — and the result was sweet.

Feifei, the Dubai 2023 world champion, retained her title after a close contest with the Brazilian before the former succeeded with a second-round lift of 153 kg. Madeiros faltered in the next two rounds.

“I competed with my old opponent (Brazil’s Tayana) again and happy to beat her. My strategy today was to lift at least kilogram more than my rival,” said Feifei, who holds the world record in the category at 159 kg set at Tbilisi 2024.

 

Brazil finally take gold

Having missed out gold medals in their respective individual events, Paralympic champions Mariana D’Andrea and Tayana Madeiros made sure the team return home with a gold medal. 

The Brazilian Paralympic stars came together to put up strong show and beat Uzbekistan by 312.94-214.03 points to take the gold in women’s team final. 

Trailing 211.93-214.03 points after two rounds, Brazil bounced back in the match thanks to Madeiros’ successful lift of 127 kg to win the gold medal match. Earlier, D’Ándrea had lifted the heaviest weight in the women’s team finals – 135 kg in the opening round.

“Last World Championships, it was very difficult for me with the loss of my father. I had to leave, and the team needed to put other girls to replace me and today we are here with the gold medal. I am happy to be part of this important moment for the team and like all the medals, this one is for my dad,” said an elated D’Ándrea as Madeiros and Lara Aparecida De Lima joined her saying that it was an important moment for the team and they went all out to grab the first gold medal for the team in the championships. 


 

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