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Paris 2024 | Para powerlifting preview: The ones to watch on day one
Jordan's Omar Qarada and Vietnam's Le Van Cong to battle for gold in the opening event of the Para powerlifting programme at Paris 2024, China’s Cui Zhe and Guo Lingling will be keen to return to the top of the podium, while David Degtyarev will be defending his title in the final event of the day at La Chapelle Arena 03 Sep 2024
Day one of Para Powerlifting competition will witness four Paralympic champions being crowned – two in afternoon followed by two others in the evening - at the La Chapelle Arena on 4 September.
Here you can find the complete schedule and the main stars to follow on day one in Paris.
The Champions
The men's up to 49kg final will open the action at the La Chapelle Arena with a star-studded line-up on the bench.
Jordan’s Omar Qarada is the reigning Paralympic champion while Vietnam’s Le Van Cong is the Dubai 2023 world champion and world record holder (183.5kg). But a rivalry has been brewing between the two since Rio 2016 Paralympics and fans can expect a showdown between the two at Paris 2024.
Following next is the women's up to 41kg final where China’s Cui Zhe will be aiming to clinch her first Paralympic gold after two silver medals at Rio 2016 and London 2012. At Tokyo, she competed in women’s -45kg weight category. She has been, however, the back-to-back world champion.
Also in the category will be Indonesia’s Ni Nengah Widiasih, who has claimed a bronze and a silver in the past two Paralympics and hoping to win het first gold at the La Chapelle Arena. And there will be the powerful Nigerian, Esther Nworgu, medallist at last Tbilisi 2021 and Dubai 2023 Worlds.
China will once again be in the spotlight when reigning world champion and world record holder Guo Lingling (121) enters the arena as title favourite in women's up to 45kg final. This will be Lingling’s first Paralympics competing in the category as she returns to her usual.
And much like in the past, her fans will be eagerly waiting to witness her record breaking show this time in Paris. She holds both the world records in women -41kg and -45kg categories.
Among other medal contenders in the category are: Turkiye’s Nazmiye Muratli, two-time Paralympic medallist, and Great Britain’s Zoe Newson, Rio 2016 bronze medallist
The men's up to 54kg final, the last event of the day, will witness an exhibition of power with Kazakhstan’s reigning Paralympic and world champion David Degtyarev the favourite for title.
More information about the La Chapelle Arena can be found here and the full list of Paris 2024 participants is available here.
