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Sport Week: Big lifters expected at Rio 2016
Lifting two large baby elephants is not something everyone could do, but the world’s strongest powerlifters certainly can. 22 Jun 2016
Sherif Osman of Egypt has been one of the top Paralympic powerlifters in the world over the last several years.
Para powerlifters consistently register impressive lifts which can be nearly four times their own bodyweight.
But what does that mean in the real world? Here is a guide to some of the sport’s most impressive world record lifts.
Siamand Rahman, Iran
World record lift: 296kg
Equivalent to: Two large baby elephants
Bodyweight: 187.7kg
Where: 2016 IPC Powerlifting World Cup, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Weight category: Men’s over 107kg
Being known as the ‘world’s strongest Paralympian’ is not enough for the Iranian. His current world record of 296kg came with a promise to attempt 300kg at Rio 2016.
Van Cong Le, Vietnam
World record lift: 182kg
Equivalent to: 80 house bricks
Bodyweight: 47.30kg
Where: 2015 IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Weight category: Men’s up to 49kg
World Championships silver medallist and Asian champion Le lifted more than three times his own bodyweight on his road to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Sherif Othman, Egypt
World record lift: 210.5kg
Equivalent to: 140 bags of flour
Bodyweight: 58.55kg
Where: 2016 IPC Powerlifting World Cup, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Weight category: Men’s up to 59kg
Othman’s world record is nearly four times his own bodyweight. He also holds the mark in the men’s up to 54kg, but moved up to the heavier category after winning gold at the 2014 World Championships.
Dandan Hu, China
World record lift: 106kg
Equivalent to: 2.5 bags of cement
Bodyweight: 44.30kg
Where: 2015 IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Weight category: women’s up to 45kg
A serial gold medallist at the regional level, including two titles from the Asian and European Opens, Hu will make her Paralympic debut at Rio 2016.
Esther Oyema, Nigeria
World record lift: 126kg
Equivalent to: 126 one litre bottles of water
Bodyweight: 48.22kg
Where: Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
Weight category: Women’s up to 50kg
Another athlete to compete in a higher weight category in the build-up to Rio, Paralympic champion Oyema impressed the crowds at Glasgow 2014. She went on to claim silver at the 2015 Asian Open Championships.
Useful links
Editor’s note: Each sport on the Rio 2016 Paralympic programme will have a dedicated week of featured content published on paralympic.org. Every week a new sport will be featured and the series will run until September’s Games, helping the public understand more about the 22 sports being contested in Rio.
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Sport fans from around the world can now buy their Paralympic tickets for Rio 2016 from authorised ticket resellers (ATRs)
The IPC’s Global ATR is Jet Set Sports, and Rio 2016 tickets and packages can be purchased on the CoSport website.
Residents of Brazil can buy 2016 Paralympics tickets directly from the Rio 2016 website.
