Russians break three more world records in Aleksin

Host nation Russia set three new world records on the third day of the IPC Powerlifting Open European Championships. 25 May 2013
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Russia powerlifting

Russia's powerlifting coach rejoices after his team's performances in Aleksin.

ⒸIPC
By IPC

“Although the crowd was very loud for me, in this competition I made sure I only heard the judges and my coach so I could concentrate.”

Three more world records were broken on Friday (24 May) by the Russian delegation at the 2013 IPC Powerlifting Open European Championships, which they are hosting in Aleksin.

Ayrat Zakiev (men’s -65kg category), Sergei Sychev (men’s -72kg) and Tamara Podpalnaya (women’ s -55kg) all set new world-best lifts in their respective weight divisions to help keep Russia on top of the medals table at the Championships, as they country has won eight of the 11 golds available thus far.

The Championships include IPC Powerlifting’s new weight categories, which took effect on 1 January, changing the structure of weight classes and meaning several world and European records will be set in 2013.

This followed an extensive review of all bodyweight category trends across major competitions.

Four-time Paralympian Podpalnaya set one of those records on the third day of the Championships, raising 115kg in the women’s -55kg category in front of an animated Russian crowd.

“It was very difficult, but fortunately I won and got the record so I’m very happy,” Podpalnaya said.

“Although the crowd was very loud for me, in this competition I made sure I only heard the judges and my coach so I could concentrate.”

Podpalnaya is a veteran who won Paralympic gold at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, and picked up silvers at Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

She said that another Games are definitely in store, with her road to Rio having now begun in Aleksin.

Great Britain’s Natalie Blake finished second to Podpalnaya with a lift of 93kg and Italy’s Martina Barbierato celebrated her 19th birthday by grabbing the bronze with a lift of 98kg.

Russia’s Seregei Sychev broke the world record in the men’s -72kg, lifting 200kg, as Greece’s Nikolaos Gkouuntanis took second with a lift of 181kg and another Russian, Kirill Flegentov, came third with a lift of 175kg.

Ayrat Zakiev, a Paralympic silver medallist and veterinarian when not on the bench, proved just as unbeatable, easily winning the men’s -65kg competition with a world-record lift of 190.

Turkey’s Izzettin Kanat took second with a lift of 180kg and Poland’s Grzegorz Lanzer claimed bronze with a lift of 172kg.

In a heated battle in the men’s -80kg event, Greek Paralympian Gkremislav Moysiadis smashed the European record, recording a successful attempt of 185kg en route to gold.

Poland’s Wawrzyniec Latus finished in second with a lift of 180kg and Russia’s Karen Abramyants rounded out the podium in third with a lift of 175kg.

Kheda Berieva of Russia was also able to cruise to gold in the women’s -61kg event with a lift of 100kg.

Iraq’s Dhikra Saleem took silver in the Open category with a lift of 90kg and Turkey’s Dilfiroz Atilgan settled for bronze with a lift of 85kg. Atilgan finished in second position in the European category, though, allowing Polish athlete Magdalena Konior’s lift of 80kg to be good enough for bronze.

For more information on the 2013 IPC Powerlifting Open European Championships, please visit the event website at www.Paralympic.org/Events/Alexin2013.

All action from the event is being streamed live on the IPC’s YouTube channel, www.YouTube.com/ParalympicSportTV.

You can also follow the action on Twitter at @IPCPowerlifting and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/IPCPowerlifting.