Dubai 2023: Records tumble as D'Andrea wins first Worlds title

Mariana D’Andrea displayed incredible power and confidence to smash the world record twice on her way to winning her first world title on Saturday (26 August) day four of the Dubai 2023 Para Powerlifting World Championships. 

D’Andrea, the Tokyo 2020 champion in women’s up to 73 kg, was flawless on the bench, bettered her own world record by five kilograms in the final attempt before winning the women’s up to 79 kg gold at the Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor city. 

Overall, the world record in the category was broken thrice on the day, with Paralympic champion Bose Omolayo first coming out to equal her own world mark of 145 kg set in Cairo 2022.

The 25-year-old Brazilian was motivated to go for a new world record, and she improved it by one kilo in her second attempt.

But there was more to come.

Sensational victory

Omolayo, the Tbilisi 2021 world champion from Nigeria, too showed tremendous strength to push a bar loaded with 150 kg to break the world record again, before D’ Andrea went one better for the new mark at 151 kg.

“It was an intense competition; but I was confident to do well here and was ready for it,” admitted D’Andrea who bowed the mat and kissed the bench after her successful lifts.

“I am very happy. It was a dream come true for me to win the World Championships title after the Paralympic gold in Tokyo.”

“The Tokyo 2020 gold motivated me to win the Worlds gold and I have trained a lot post the Paralympics. It paid off today,” said D’ Andrea, also a silver medallist at the Tbilisi 2021 Worlds.

The third place was claimed by China's Asian Para Games champion Han Miaoyu with a third successful lift of 140 kg, giving her second Worlds bronze medal in a row. 

Determination is the key

Before D’Andrea’s remarkable victory, Omolayo’s compatriot Kafila Almaruf brought the first gold for Nigeria in the championships with a powerful show that also saw her breaking a long-standing world record.

This was Almaruf’s first World Championships title as she lifted 151 kg to set a new mark, breaking France's Souhad Ghazouani record of 150 kg set in 2013. Ghazouni took the bronze with 131 kg.

Tbilisi 2021 world champion China's Xu Lili settled for silver with 134 kg.

“I am very excited and grateful to everyone who supported me. I believed in my Almighty that I could do it today. I am ready for Paris 2024 Paralympics now,” said Almaruf, who also has a bronze from last Worlds.

Zhou on top

China too made it to the top of the podium on the day, thanks to an amazing performance from the Tbilisi 2021 bronze medallist Yi Zhou who finished ahead of Paralympic and world champions in the men’s under 65 kg.

Zhou won with 215 kg after an unsuccessful attempt to break the world record, but enough to take the gold ahead of favourites Amir Jafari (202 kg) of Iran and Algeria’s Hocine Bettir (198 kg). 

Jafari took his second silver in a row, while Bettir ended fourth. The bronze was claimed by Nigeria’s Thomas Kure with 200 kg lift.

After three days of elite competitions, China are on top with eight medals that included five gold, two silver and one bronze followed by Iran with two gold. Nigeria, Brazil, Great Britain have one gold medals each.

Where to watch?

The Dubai 2023 Para Powerlifting World Championships is streamed live on World Para Powerlifting Facebook channel and Paralympics YouTube channel.

Complete schedule and results of the competitions are available here.