World Cup 2024: Guo Lingling stamps dominance in Dubai

The Dubai 2024 Para Powerlifting World Cup came to a close with some of the world’s finest athletes putting up strong show in their quest to improve their rankings in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Qualification race. 

This was the first World Cup of the season and with the way the event underwent, it was an indication the race to Paris is going to be a tight one. 

While China took the top position in the medals table clinching 13 of the 20 gold medals in offer, there was one lifter in the team – Guo Lingling, the Paralympic champion in women’s up to 41kg who extended her love affair with Dubai.  

More records 

With the Paralympic Games less than six months away, the Chinese stamped her dominance in Dubai, a regular stop for the three-time world champion.

Lingling improved her women’s up to 45kg world record by one kilogram. Starting with 110kg, she went up to 121kg in her third attempt to comfortably take the gold medal with a new world mark. 

“I train very hard under the guidance of my coach. I have new breakthroughs in training, a new understanding of the game and understanding of tactic with my coach which helps me progress in competitions,” said the Chinese star on secret behind her record-breaking shows. 

“I’m very excited and happy to win the gold and break the world record in Dubai. My performance on the stage this time was better, faster, and more stable. I enjoyed competing here.” 

The Dubai World Cup also witnessed several regional records, with five Asian records, four Americas and eight European ones.

Lingling was also joined on the top of podium by her compatriots including Paralympic and world medallists Cui Zhe (women’s up to 41kg), Tan Yujiao (women’s up to 67kg), Zheng Feifei (women’s over 86kg), Yan Panpan (men’s up to 88kg) and Zou Yi (men’s up to 65kg), among others.

Complete list of gold medallists can be found here.

Gustin in focus

Another star in focus was Malaysia’s Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, the Paralympic, world and Commonwealth Games champion.

Six months after winning the gold and setting a new world record at the Worlds, Gustin returned to Dubai to take another victory in men’s up to 72kg at the Dubai Club for People of Determination halls.

“This is a warm-up event in the build-up to the Paralympics, so I went settled for less weight” said the Malaysian star who lifted 218kg for the gold, way less than his world record mark of 231kg achieved in Dubai 2023 Worlds.

 “It’s all about good training and following the process, routine and good sleep,” he added of the secret behind his incredible run of form.

Among other impressive shows were Iran’s heavyweight champions Ahmad Aminzadeh (267kg) and Aliakbar Gharibshahi (250kg) who continued the legacy of legend Siamand Rahman taking the gold medal in over and under 107kg weight categories.

Meanwhile, Asian Para Games silver medallist Mohsen Bakhtiar’s powerful show of 196kg lift was enough to give him a gold and a new Asian record in the men’s up to 59kg. In the process, he also surprised China’s Paralympic and world champion Qi Yongkai (140kg).

The Team events – men’s, women’s and mixed – also offered another chance to the players for improvement. Uzbekistan and Brazil won the men’s and women’s team events, while China clinched the mixed team event.

In the last day of competition, the Dubai World Cup paid tribute to Lt. Cdr. Kamaruzaman Kadir, Chairperson of the World Para Powerlifting Sport Technical Committee (STC), who passed away this week. 

A minute of silence was observed before each medal event and a minute of applause was held at the closing ceremony in memory of Kadir.

Results from the Dubai 2024 Para Powerlifting World Cup can be found here

Next stop, Egypt

After Dubai, the World Cup moves to Egypt for the Sharm El Sheikh 2024 World Cup from 20 to 25 March as powerlifters continue their pursuit to improve rankings in the Paralympic qualification race.