Paris 2024: Powerlifting superstars from Africa and Asia set to lead the way

Athletes from around the world are ready to take La Chapelle Arena by storm when Para powerlifting competition gets underway, with many bench-pressing more than three times their own body weight.

Fans can expect tough contests between powerhouses China and Nigeria in Paris. Nigeria were the leading nation at London 2012 and Rio 2016, while China took the most medals at Tokyo 2020. China lead the way in the sport with 84 medals overall, 36 of them gold. Nigeria are second in the overall medals table with 25 golds while Egypt are third with 22 golds.

There will be around 180 athletes competing in 20 medal events during five competition days in the French capital. The action takes place at the Port de la Chapelle Arena between 4 and 8 September.

At Tokyo 2020 Omar Qarada and David Degtyarev won the first Paralympic powerlifting gold medals for Jordan and Kazakhstan respectively.

Five storylines to follow...

Qarada vs Le van Cong go head to head again

Omar Qarada of Jordan and Vietnam’s Le van Cong has become a classic sporting rivalry in the men’s -49kg division. Qarada is the Paralympic champion, while Cong won gold in Rio 2016, and is the current world champion.

The Jordanian vowed to his mother that he would defend his title this summer – and do so by breaking Cong’s astonishing world record weight of 183.5kg. It’s fair to say we are set up for a thriller. “I know everyone wants to beat me because I am the champion,” Qarada said.

“This motivates me even more. I know how to beat him [Cong] but it’s a secret.”

Don’t expect it to get nasty, though: “We are both competing for gold medals and world records, but we are friends,” adds Qarada.

Guo getting better than ever 

Guo Lingling, the Paralympic champion in women’s -41kg, has been improving all season, and at the Dubai 2024 Para Powerlifting World Cup, she improved her women’s -45kg world record by one kilogram, lifting a remarkable 121kg.

Now she’s looking for even more in Paris. “I train very hard under the guidance of my coach,” Guo said. “I have new breakthroughs in training, a new understanding of the game and understanding of tactic with my coach which helps me progress in competitions.”

El Salvador’s superstar aims even higher 

Herbert Aceituno is a Para powerlifting superstar in El Salvador, winning the country’s first medal at any Olympic or Paralympic Games. Now he’s looking to upgrade his bronze in the men’s -59kg division at Tokyo 2020.

“In training I surpass personal records but in competition it is already very different, there is judging and there is a stage, and it is not perfect,” he said. “That gold medal, if God allows it, will arrive in due time.”

D’Andrea to maintain the champion mentality 

Mariana D’Andrea surprised many by winning Brazil’s first-ever Para powerlifting gold medal at Tokyo 2020. No longer an underdog, she now has the mindset to keep her at the top of the podium in the women’s -73kg.

“To be a champion, you have to think like a champion, train like a champion and have the attitude of a champion,” the two-time Paralympian said.

“That’s how I think, and that’s how I’m going to do it. To compete in the Games, the biggest multi-sport event on the planet, you have to understand the magnitude and importance of being very well prepared physically and mentally.”

Expect records to tumble

The most recent World Cup in Tblisi, Georgia was an absolute cracker, with four world records broken – Jordan's Abdelkareem Khattab, China's Zheng Feifei, Nigeria's Folashade Oluwafemiayo and Egypt's Rehab Ahmed all notched new benchmarks. Read about their exploits here.

Para powerlifting stars are ready to compete at the Chapelle Arena, so anticipate one of the great powerlifting displays of all time in Paris.