Jankowska and Kraratpet shine at World Cup season finale in Nakhon Ratchasima

The 2023 World Para Powerlifting season had a brightly closure as the Nakhon Ratchasima 2023 World Cup was a spectacle of strength that had Poland and hosts Thailand on the spotlight.

The grand finale of the 2023 World Para Powerlifting season saw a spectacle of strength at the Nakhon Ratchasima 2023 World Cup in Thailand, with Poland and the host nation on the spotlight. 

Spearheaded by Beata Jankowska, the Polish team left the competition with the largest gold collection as their national anthem played six times at the Liptapanlop Hall during the three-day meet which was part of the programme of the World Abilitysport Games.

Jankowska was responsible for two out of the six Polish triumphs. The first one came in the women’s up to 86kg category on Thursday (7 December) with a  94 kg-lift. A day later she joined the mixed event winning team alongside Marek Trykacz and Michal Salwa.

Paulina Przywecka-Puziak was the other female athlete to put Poland on the top of the podium in the women’s up to 61kg with a 101kg lift, beating Maria Markou from Cyprus by 3 kg in the last attempt.

The other three gold medals for Poland came in male events, with Slawomir Szymanski in the up to 54kg, Tomasz Kociubinski in the up to 72kg, and Wawrzyniec Latus in the up to 88kg categories, respectively.

Home stars shine

Hosts Thailand played a crucial role in infusing energy and enthusiasm into the event, especially in four specific moments. 

After clinching Thailand's only Para powerlifting medal (a bronze) at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China two months ago and now propelled by the support of the local crowd, Kamolpan Kraratpet lifted 90kg to take gold in the women’s up to 55kg in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Kraratpet also grabbed a silver alongside teammates Amorntep Pongsao and Ton Yarnpairot in the mixed team event.

The home squad also grabbed gold with Thongsa Marasri in the men’s up to 80kg, Chinnaphop Khamdam in the men’s 97kg and Jansod Rattanapol in the men’s over 107kg.

Paralympic power  

Six other nations grabbed gold at the Nakhon Ratchasima 2023 World Cup, including Paralympic and World Championships medallists from Great Britain and Mongolia. 

Reigning Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion, Mongolia’s Enkhbayar Sodnompiljee defended his crown in the men’s up to 107 category raising 242kg.

Louise Sugden, bronze medallist at Tokyo 2020 in the women’s up to 86kg, brought Great Britain to the top in the up to 79kg category with a 123kg lift.

Greece, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia completed the list of nations that topped the podium at the final World Cup of the season. 

Complete results from the Nakhon Ratchasima 2023 World Cup at the World Abilitysport Games can be found here.

The World Para Powerlifting 2024 season is set to kick off at the traditional Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates at the end of February. More information about next season is available here.