Sport week: Gold first, world record second for Rahman

“If I do not have any problems and things go well, I will lift 300kg at the Paralympic Games.”

Iran’s Siamand Rahman, the strongest Paralympian in the world, is hoping to reach the 300kg mark and win the Paralympic title at Rio 2016.

The 28-year-old broke his own world record earlier this year at a World Cup in Dubai, United Arab States, with a 296kg lift and seeks now to hold onto the title he won at London 2012.

“My training is based on the goal I am pursuing,” he said.

“If I do not have any problems and things go well, I will lift 300kg at the Paralympic Games.”

Rahman knows that he should first secure the gold medal in his first attempt in the over 107kg category before trying to break the world record for a sixth time.

“I feel good and with positive energies,” said Rahman, who is also the reigning world and Asian champion.

“My exercises keep me highly motivated and I am hopeful to shine in Rio.”

Rahman made the decision to attempt to lift of 300kg in Rio after a long consultation with his team.

“A coach, better than anyone else, knows how each athlete can perform. My coaches consider I am in good physical conditions and I always respect what they say,” he stated.

“I have lifted more 300kg in the training sessions, but at the same time I have to prevent potential injuries.”

But Rahman assures that there will be other factors that will influence his performance at September’s Paralympic Games.

“It is not just about my abilities but many other things. There is a long distance between Iran and Brazil, and that can affect travellers, especially people with impairment,” he said.

“Everything should be perfect for me to lift 300kg. If I am physically and mentally strong, I will do it.”

There are two people that have helped Rahman to become who he is today and have encouraged him to aim high.

“At this stage of my career, I think about the people that taught me that with strength, someone can accomplish anything. And those people are no one but my father and mother,” he said.

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.

__

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.