Mexico City 2017: Osman targets world record

“I have one principle; there is no impossible, so I can always do more.”

Setting the world records in both the men’s up to 54kg and 59kg categories has not been an easy task, but powerlifter Sherif Osman is far from finished yet.

Ahead of the Mexico City 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships, set to take place between 30 September-6 October, Egypt’s three-time Paralympic champion has a clear plan.

“I have two goals for this World Championships. First, to get the gold medal. Second, to break my own world record in the men’s up to 59kg category. I will never give up on those goals,” said Osman.

It will be his first event since claiming gold at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, where he set a world record of 211kg. “My main motivation when competing is outdoing myself,” he said.

Osman started his powerlifting career 12 years ago, encouraged by Said Abd El Hafez, who won Egypt’s first powerlifting Paralympic medal, a silver at Barcelona 1992.

Since then, he has claimed multiple titles, including three Paralympic golds. “So far I have three, yes, but in the future I hope to win as much as seven gold medals at the Paralympic Games,” said Osman, full of confidence.

However, great achievements do not come for free, something he knows very well.

“I train five days a week, and two times a day, meaning ten training sessions every week to achieve my dreams,” he said.

“I am always looking forward to follow difficult ways of doing things to be different from the crowd, because everyone tries to do things the easiest way possible.”

The Egyptian has had an impressive career, and there is reason to believe there are many great things still to come.

“I have one principle; there is no impossible, so I can always do more.”