2023 in review: The most memorable moments of the year

What a World Para Powerlifting season! From action-packed World Cups to Regional Games in Asia and the Americas to a memorable World Championships in Dubai, the year had plenty of great moments. 

Now it is time to look back at the best of 2023.

Eleven is the magic number!

The record books needed constant updating during the year. Out of the 20 weight categories, 11 saw new world records established in 2023 – eight of them in female events. 

The crowd at the Dubai 2023 World Championships witnessed seven of those new marks, including three events in which the athletes broke the record twice in route to gold: China’s Guo Lingling in the women’s up to 45 kg (first at 119kg and later at 120kg), Nigeria’s Onyinyechi Mark in the women’s up to 61 kg (144 kg and 146 kg) and Brazil’s Mariana D’Andrea in the women’s up to 79 kg (146 kg and 151 kg).

Complete list of world records can be found here.

Legacy lives on

The 2023 World Cup season kicked off in April in the host city of the previous World Championships. Georgian capital Tbilisi has become a regular stop in the World Para Powerlifting calendar. 

This year’s World Cup saw star powerlifters, local heroes and newcomers on the top of the podium. Defending Paralympic champion Enkhbayaryn Sodnompiljee of Mongolia began the season with a gold medal. So did Cyprus’ Maria Markou Pikkoua, in her first World Cup victory. Akaki Jintcharadze led a one-two podium finish for the hosts. 

Veracruz, Mexico, Cairo, Egypt and Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand hosted the other World Para Powerlfiting World Cups this year.

More about the Tbilisi 2023 World Cup here.

Dubai delight

Speaking of familiar territory, Dubai became the first city to host the Para Powerlifting World Championships for a third time in 2023. And what an event! 

China topped the medal standings thanks to nine triumphs, four more than in the previous Worlds. The Chinese domination was led by their female athletes with Zheng Feifei matching compatriot Lingling taking gold with a world record in the women’s up to 86 kg (158 kg).

Para powerlifting legend Rehab Ahmed took her fourth world title, this time competing in new category (women’s up to 55 kg). The Egyptian also set a world record (134 kg).

The World Championships also marked the debut of the men’s and women’s team events in the competition programme. Lingling and Feifei helped China achieve another gold, while Iraq wrote history spearheaded by Rasool Mohsin.

You can read more about the World Championships best moments here.

Dubai will welcome the world’s best again in February as the city hosts the inaugural World Cup of the 2024 season. 

Cairo next

The first World Cup after the World Championships took place in the host city of the next Worlds. Athletes had the opportunity to see a bit of what they can expect from Cairo 2025. 

The host nation was the most successful team in the three-day event at the Guard Hotel with Ahmed once again leading the way. Algeria, Georgia, Italy and Kenya also topped the podium in Cairo.

You can check more about the World Cup in Egypt here.

From Hangzhou to Santiago

The first Asian Para Games in five years was held in Hangzhou, China in October. And only six of the gold medals up for grabs did not stay in the host country. 

Chinese athletes finished first in 14 events, and set new world records in three of them. Yi Zou took gold with smashing a five-year-old world record in the men’s up to 65 kg (222 kg).

Dubai world champion Lingling this time competed in the women’s up to 41kg category, taking another gold and setting another record this year (123 kg). Yujiao Tan improved her own mark in the women’s up to 67 kg (141 kg).

World stars Bonnie Gustin of Malaysia, David Degtyarev of Kazakhstan and Abdelkareem Khattab of Jordan also added more victories to their impressive CVs in Hangzhou. 

Santiago hosted the Parapan American Games for the first time in November and Chilean athletes did not disappoint the home crowd. Juan Carlos Garrido, Camila Campos and Jorge Carinao all won their individual events and then joined forces to take another gold in the team event.

Brazil topped the medal standings with another gold to Mariana D’Andrea. USA also made history with a first-ever gold medal in a major event through Bobby Body in the men’s men’s up to 107kg & over 107kg.

More about Para powerlifting at this year’s Asian Para Games can be found here. 

You can read more about Santiago 2023 here.