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Almaty 2015 competition schedule published
Each day of competition at the IPC Powerlifting Asian Open between 26-30 July carries a series of rivalries and headliners. 02 Jul 2015
Gu Xiaofei - Powerlifting - London 2012 Paralympic Games- Powerlifting - London 2012 Paralympic Games
IPC Powerlifting has published the competition schedule for the 2015 IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships which run from 26-30 July in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The competition will be a key qualifier for the Rio 216 Paralympic Games and will be the sixth edition of the Asian Championships, the most established regional competition in powerlifting.
It has attracted over 220 athletes from 30 countries, making it one of the biggest Asian Championships in history.
Organisers have opted to leave perhaps the most exciting event until the last day of competition on Thursday (30 July), when Iranian Siamand Rahman could attempt to add to his world record in the men’s over 107kg.
Rahman has indicated that he is targeting 300kg having cemented his place as the world’s strongest Paralympian at the Incheon 2014 Asian Para Games, with a 292kg bench press.
Sunday (26 July) will see an exciting replay of the women’s up to 41kg from the 2013 edition, when China’s Asian record holder Zhe Cui emerged victorious ahead of Indonesia’s Ni Nengah Widiasih on bodyweight alone.
After three rounds of competition and a failed attempt at 100kg from Widiasih in the third, both women had registered bests of 95kg. However, the Indonesian left with a consolation prize of the Asian record at the time having been the first to break it.
The home crowd will have the opportunity to cheer on one of their best lifters on Monday (27 July) as 2013 silver medallist Kabira Askarova competes in the women’s up to 50kg.
On the same day, China’s Paralympic gold medallist Lei Liu is the favourite in the men’s up to 65kg as the reigning world champion.
Two of Liu’s teammates will be in action on day three (28 July) with world champions Xiao Fei Gu in the men’s up to 80kg and Yujiao Tan in the women’s up to 67kg. Tan and Gu are the current world record holders, with Tan adding to the mark twice in 2014.
Chinese Taipei’s Tzu-Hu Lin also set a new mark at the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships and will be back at the Baluan Sholak Sports Palace on the 29 July in the women’s up to 79kg.
Greece’s Pavlos Mamalos, a lottery shop-owner by day, is the world title and record holder in the men’s up to 107kg set for the same day.
Iran’s Ali Sadeghzadehsalmani and Azerbaijani Elshan Heseynov finished second and third behind Mamalos in Dubai but will be attempting to avoid a repeat in Almaty
Following Almaty 2015, powerlifters will head to the IPC Powerlifting European Open Championships in Eger, Hungary, from 24-28 November.
The Almaty 2015 Asian Open Powerlifting Championships will take place from 26-30 July. Live results will be available at the event website and updates and news published on Facebook and Twitter.