Asian Para Games: Dominant China raises the bar with record-breaking performances

From a hat-trick of world records to spectacular displays of power, the Para powerlifting competition at the 4th Asian Para Games in Hangzhou saw the world’s best athletes asserting their status through incredible strength and technique.

With eye-catching efforts all across the 20 medal events, China simply proved to be relentless in its domination of the sport, spurred on by the overwhelming support of fans on home soil. 

The host nation won a whopping 14 golds at the Xiaoshan Sports Center Gymnasium to comfortably finish top of the medals table with a total of 17 pieces of hardware (also including three silver medals)  

Iran finished in second place with 11 medals, two of which gold, while Jordan found itself sitting in third with five medals also including two golds.

Untouchable on the bench 

China opened their golden account through a mighty world record performance by Paralympic champion Guo Lingling in the women’s up to 41 kg. Lingling shattered the record mark of 114 kg set by Nigeria’s Esther Nworgu three times en route to taking the gold medal with an astonishing lift of 123 kg. 

Buoyed by the success of his compatriot, Yi Zou cleared the bar at 222 kg in his fourth attempt to also set a new world record and take the gold in the men’s up to 65 kg. The previous mark of 221 kg was set by Nigeria's Paul Kehinde in the Dubai 2018 World Cup. 

Yujiao Tan, meanwhile, broke her own world record in the women’s up to 67 kg with 141 kg to bag gold. The previous mark of 140.5 kg was set by her five years ago at the previous Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

“With my family and friends in the stands, I was hoping to perform better than usual. I felt more inner power and I really wanted to do something extraordinary”, Tan, a two-time Paralympic champion, said after her astonishing performance. 

Tan admitted to have struggled with a shoulder injury that she had picked up at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 in the build-up to the Games in Hangzhou. “But with this new world record, I’m telling the world that Yujiao Tan is back”, she said.  

“And I may have been conservative when talking about the Paralympic Games in Paris, just saying I'd do my best to qualify. But now I wish to say that I’ll definitely strive for a third consecutive gold medal at the Games.” 

That competition is thus shaping up to be a classic already - and something to be definitely looking forward to.

The other gold medallists for China were Zhe Cui (up to 45 kg), Yi Wei (up to 50 kg), Jinping Xiao (up to 55 kg), Jianjin Cui (up to 61 kg), Lili Xu (up to 73 kg), Miaoyu Han (up to 79 kg), Feifei Zheng (up to 86 kg) and Xuemei Deng (over 86 kg) in the women’s events.

Elsewhere, in the men’s events, Yongkai Qi (up to 59 kg), Xiaofei Gu (up to 80 kg), Panpan Yan (up to 97 kg) also emerged victorious for the host nation.

Gustin lays down Paralympic marker

And whilst China’s dominance caught the eye, Bonnie Gustin also put his rivals on notice - with his sight set firmly on the Paralympic Games Paris 2024 - by claiming gold in the men’s up to 72 kg, as he lifted 230 kg to establish a new Asian Para Games record. 

Gustin, the Paralympic and world champion in this event, showed spectacular strength on the bench to blast away his competition. He finished way ahead of silver medallist Peng Hu from China (208 kg) and Uzbekistan’s Bekzod Jamilov (204 kg), who had to settle for bronze.

After three comfortable lifts (210 kg, 220 kg and 230 kg), the Malaysian powerlifting sensation even tried to better his own record of 231 kg set at the World Championships in Dubai earlier this year, but his fourth attempt, a Powerlift, of 232 kg was not successful. 

“I’m satisfied with my achievements and very honoured to break the Asian record”, the 24-year-old Gustin said. He, however, still expressed some disappointment for not being able to set a new personal best - and thus better his own world record in this event.

“I’ll continue to do my best in the next event. I’m aiming for Paris 2024 (to retain the Paralympic title).” 

Rising to the occasion 

Abdelkareem Khattab of Jordan lived up to his promise in the men’s up to 88kg, too. Khattab, the Paralympic and world champion, was well ahead of the pack, successfully raising 242 kg to set a new Asian Paralympic Games record.

Following his triumph at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, David Degtyarev of Kazakhstan, one of the rising stars in Para powerlifting, claimed his first Asian Para Games gold medal in the men’s up to 54 kg after three successful attempts. 

Iran’s Aliakbar Gharibshahi and compatriot Ahmad Aminzadeh proved to be the strongest within the biggest weight classes. The duo put up powerful performances to win gold in the men’s up to 107 kg and over 107 kg respectively. 

Complete results from the 4th Asian Para Games competitions can be found here.