Mexico City 2017: Top lifters from the Americas

The home crowd will be expecting to land powerlifting gold through Amalia Perez, Mexico’s biggest star set to compete at the 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships, from 30 September-6 October.

But she is not the only powerlifter from the Americas with the potential to achieve glory in Mexico City. Here are some of the continent’s top lifters:

Amalia Perez (MEX): Few would bet against the three-time world and Paralympic champion. In front of her home crowd, the Mexican is expected to once again top the podium. But Nigeria’s Esther Oyema lifted only 3kg less than Perez at Rio 2016 and feels ready to take one leap forward at this year’s Worlds.

Bruno Carra (BRA): Left Rio 2016 with a bitter taste after finishing fourth in the men’s up to 54kg. Carra cleared the bar at 162kg, same as Greece’s Dimitrios Bakochristos, but could not make it to the podium due to a higher body weight. The Brazilian is hoping the story will end differently at Mexico City 2017.

Catalina Diaz Vilchis (MEX): Will be the Mexican crowd other big favourite to medal in women’s powerlifting. But Rio 2016 bronze medallist Diaz Vilchis will need to be at her very best as she competes in the super-competitive up to 86kg category against Jordan’s Tayseer Hamdan Alhajaj, China’s Fengmei Li and Egypt’s Randa Mahmoud.

Evanio Da Silva (BRA): Brazil’s first powerlifter to reach the Paralympic podium, after winning silver at Rio 2016, is hungry for more success and aims to “be on the podium again in Mexico City. I consider it my main goal since I do not have a Worlds medal yet.” His main opponent in the men’s up to 88kg will be United Arab Emirates’ Paralympic champion Mohammed Khalaf.

Jose de Jesus Castillo Castillo (MEX): Since winning bronze at the latest edition of the Worlds in Dubai, UAE, in 2014, he has cemented himself as one of the world’s strongest Paralympians. In 2015, he won Parapan Am gold in Toronto, Canada, and followed that up with another bronze in the men’s up to 107kg at Rio 2016. Will he repeat or outdo such success in Mexico City?

More information can be found on the Mexico City 2017 website.