Year in review: Bonnie Gustin leads 2024 world record bonanza

Half of the 20 Para powerlifting weight categories saw world records fall in an unforgettable 2024 season. Eight of the new world records were set at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games – four of them on the same day.

As we wrap up the action in 2024, it is time to look back at the records and athletes that added their names in the history books.

Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, Malaysia – Men’s up to 72kg

Gustin arrived in Paris as the name to beat. Defending Paralympic champion and two-time world champion in the men’s up to 72kg, the Malaysian star added another Paralympic gold medal to his collection improving by one kilogram his own world record lifting 232kg in his third attempt.

Roohallah Rostami, Iran – Men’s up to 80kg

Another defending champion, Rostami had a three-year-old record to his name in the men’s up to 80kg category (241kg). He had already defended his gold when he decided to go for 242kg in the third attempt. And he did it! 

Abdelkareem Khattab, Jordan – Men’s up to 97kg

Having won the gold in Tokyo 2020 in the men’s up to 88kg, Khattab made his major international debut in the up to 97kg category at Paris 2024. He travelled France as the world-record holder with 260kg set at the Tbilisi World Cup three months earlier. In Paris, Khattab improved his own world record with a massive 270kg in the third attempt – and celebrated carrying his coach on his shoulder.

Indescribable 🤯

Abdelkareem Khattab is now the double Paralympic and world champion, three times in the men’s up to 88kg category and once in the up to 97kg category. 👑

*Footage is from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.@Paralympics | @Paris2024 | @asianparalympic pic.twitter.com/FMRhuju8dP

— Para Powerlifting (@Powerlifting) September 7, 2024

Guo Lingling, China – Women’s up to 45kg

Lingling shattered the world record twice on way to winning her first women's up to 45kg Paralympic gold at Paris 2024. She had a fantastic 2024 season, first setting a world record at the Dubai World Cup in February (121kg). She then improved it by one kilo in his third lift in Paris, just to go one better in the powerlift (123kg).

Onyinyechi Mark, Nigeria – Women’s up to 61kg

The Nigerian made her Paralympic debut in Paris and could not have hoped for a better one. The world champion improved her own world record twice at 147kg and 150kg en route to taking the gold medal.

Tan Yujiao, China – Women’s up to 67kg

Yujiao showed why she is the best in the women's up to 67kg category, winning her third Paralympic gold in Paris. She unleashed her power after performing her traditional scream on the bench, getting three clear lifts and improved her own world record with 142kg in the powerlift. Her record came on the same day as Mark, Rostami and Gustin at La Chapelle Arena.

Han Miaoyu, China – Women’s up to 79kg

Another star making a Paralympic debut in Paris was China’s Miaoyu. She set a new world record at the World Cup in Tbilisi earlier in the year and improved her own mark in Paris by one kilogram in her third attempt (154kg) to claim her first Paralympic gold in the women's up to 79kg.

🚨 WORLD RECORD ALERT🚨

Folashade Oluwafemiayo of Nigeria improves on her WR TWICE and wins the second Paralympic title in a row in two different categories! 🥇🇳🇬

Women's over 86kg:
🥈 Xuemei Deng 🇨🇳
🥉 Nadia Ali 🇪🇬#Paralympics | #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/i3cl5n4Ltb

— Para Powerlifting (@Powerlifting) September 8, 2024

Folashade Oluwafemiayo, Nigeria – Women’s over 86kg

The Nigerian clinched her second Paralympic gold and first in the women's over 86kg, surprising reigning Paralympic and two-time world champion Xuemei Deng of China. Oluwafemiayo added two kilos to her world record from the Tbilisi World Cup winning gold with 167kg.

Rehab Ahmed, Egypt – Women’s up to 55kg

Egypt’s flagbearer at the Paralympic Games, four-time world champion Ahmed finally took the elusive gold in her third Paralympics. Adding to that, her unforgettable 2024 also saw her break the women’s up to 55kg world record at the World Cup in Tbilisi, Georgia in June with 135kg.

Feifei Zheng, China – Women’s up to 86kg

World champion in the women’s up to 86kg, China’s Zheng set a new world record in her weight category at the Tbilisi World Cup (159kg). She also took her second Paralympic medal in 2024, picking silver at Paris.