Cairo 2025: Egypt’s new generation set to shine

The Cairo 2025 World Para Powerlifting Championships are just a month away, starting on 9 October in Egypt’s capital. The competition will open with a two-day Rookie & Next Gen event, followed by the Elite World Championships from 11 to 18 October.

This will be the 11th edition of the world’s most prestigious gathering of Para powerlifters, but also a milestone for the sport. Cairo 2025 will mark the first time the World Championships have been held in Africa, and the first time the Rookie & Next Gen event being held over two days.

From Paris to Cairo

It will also be the largest Para powerlifting event ever staged in Egypt, which previously hosted the WPPO African Open Championships in Cairo in 2022 and two World Cup events – in Cairo in 2023 and Sharm El Sheikh in 2024.

Cairo 2025 will also serve as the launchpad for most athletes on their qualification pathway towards the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games. Re-energised after Paris 2024 and focused on the next cycle, Egyptian para powerlifters will, especially, be motivated to build on their strong results last year.

Although Egypt won six medals in Paris – equalling their lowest tally in Paralympic powerlifting from Tokyo 2020 and Atlanta 1996 – the Games showed progress compared to Japan four years ago. In Paris, Egypt secured two golds, two silvers and two bronze medals, improving from Tokyo’s four silvers and two bronze medals. 

More importantly, new stars emerged, signalling a bright future for the sport in Egypt.

Egypt’s new wave of talent

One of those shining stars is 26-year-old Mohamed Elmenyawy, who won gold in Paris in the men’s up to 59kg category after lifting 201kg on his third attempt. He defeated reigning world and Paralympic champion Yongkai Qi of China and will be eager to repeat that feat on home soil in October. 

Having previously won bronze at the Dubai 2023 World Championships, Elmenyawy will chase gold – and the perfect birthday gift – when he takes to the stage on 12 October, just two days after turning 27.

Gold medallist in Paris, he now has only one goal in mind: winning the world title at home 🥇🇪🇬

Mohamed Elmenyawy will be one of the stars of the World Championships in Cairo starting 10 October, not to be missed!#ParaPowerlifting #Cairo2025 pic.twitter.com/1sXhMdyxdJ

— Para Powerlifting (@Powerlifting) July 10, 2025

Another rising talent is Fatma Elyan, who has already proven on the international stage with consecutive silver medals. The 25-year-old lifted 122kg in the women’s up to 61kg category at Dubai 2023, then surpassed that result in Paris. Competing in a different class – the women’s up to 67kg – Elyan lifted 139kg, finishing just behind China’s Yujiao Tan at the last Paralympics.

Safaa Hassan is another Egyptian medallist from Paris. The 39-year-old lifted 139kg in her second attempt to secure bronze in the women’s up to 79kg category. Having finished fifth at the 2021 Tbilisi World Championships and seventh in Dubai two years later (in the 73kg class), her move up in weight category proved decisive, culminating in a breakthrough medal in Paris.

Experience still matters

Egypt’s experienced names also shone. Rehab Ahmed finally claimed gold in the women’s up to 55kg category after two silvers, while Mohamed Elelfat and Nadia Ali both won their third Paralympic medals. Elelfat lifted 224kg in the men’s up to 88kg category to take silver, while Ali secured bronze in the women’s over 86kg with a 145kg lift – 16 years after her first Paralympic medal.

And Egypt still has another card to play. Sherif Osman, a three-time Paralympic champion, has battled injuries in recent years and fell short of expectations in Dubai 2023 and Paris 2024, finishing fifth and seventh in the men’s up to 59kg and 65kg categories. Fully fit, however, he remains one of the sport’s biggest names – and could be a decisive factor in front of a home crowd.