Fazza 2019: Sodnompiljee Enkhbayar excels again

“I don’t have words to express my feeling. It feels great. At my trainings, I am aiming to clear the bar at 260 kg. I will go for 250kg at the Worlds in Astana, so that I can keep the world record with me”

Mongolia’s Sodnompiljee Enkhbayar greets everyone bowing his head as he arrives for his attempt. He sits on the bench, looks up at the sky and says his small prayer before going for the bar.

On Tuesday (February 13), final day of the 10th edition of the Fazza World Para Powerlifting World Cup in Dubai, UAE, the 33-year-old followed the tradition en route to taking the men’s under 107 kg gold with a lift of 240kg.

Kygystan’s Orosbaev Zhyrgalbek attemped took silver (206kg) and Iraq’s Abbas Naisan (203kg) bronze.

Over the years, Rio 2016 bronze medallist Enkhbayar has single-handedly put Mongolia on the World Para Powerlifting map and has continued to keep up his good show to inspire the juniors.

On Tuesday, Enkhbayar was overwhelmed not just for the gold but for closing in on his bigger goals—a Paralympic gold and another world record.

“I don’t have words to express my feeling. It feels great,” he said.

“At my trainings, I am aiming to clear the bar at 260 kg. I will go for 250kg at the Worlds in Astana, so that I can keep the world record with me,” added the ever-smiling powerlifter who lifted 244kg to make the new world record at the Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games.

Men’s over 107kg

Meanwhile, Rio 2016 bronze medallist Elshebli Jamil picked up the second gold for Jordan in the men’s over 107kg event, amid loud cheers.

Jamil, who also competes in Para Athletics and has several Paralympic medals to his name, finished ahead of Greece’s European champion Dimou Konstantinos after they were at par lifting 231 kg each in Round 2.

Thereafter, Konstantinos’s failed final attempt in the third round must have given the Jordanian a sigh of relief as he went on to lift 232 kg in his final attempt for the gold.

Shamo Aslanov of Azerbaijan was third time lucky as he succeeded in his only third attempt of 206 kg for the bronze.

Egypt Best Team

In the women’s events, Egypt continued their brilliant show on the last day well as their Paralympic medallists Amany Ali and Randa Mahmoud claimed the top place in the women’s under- and over 86kg events.

Egypt finished the event with 13 medals including 10 golds ahead of Jordan and Brazil who finished with five and four medals, respectively.

Both Ali and Mahmoud had to overcome powerful challenges from their Nigerian opponents before emerging winners. Rio 2016 gold medallist Mahmoud was behind Nigeria’s Loveline Obiji until the final attempt but managed to clinch gold lifting 139kg – one kilogram ahead of Obiji.

Mexico’s Perla Barcenas, who was leading after round two, finished with bronze in the women’s over 86kg with 135kg.

One kilogram was also the difference between Ali’s gold (126kg) and Nigeria’s luwafeniayo Folashade’s silver (125 kg) in the women’s under 86kg.

Folashade is the current world record holder from last year’s Fazza World Cup (146kg). Great Britain’s Louise Sugden managed 112 kg lift for the third place.

Eger, Hungary, will host the next World Para Powerlifting World Cup from 25-28 April.