Men's -88 kg - IPC Powerlifting World Championships

Jordanian world record holder Mutaz Zakria Aljuneidi and Nigerian Ijeoma Iherobiem beat two reigning Paralympic champions to claim world titles on Wednesday (9 April) at the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai, UAE.

Aljuneidi (229kg) won the men’s -88kg in an exciting climax to the first event of the day, beating Egypt’s London 2012 gold medallist Hany Abdelhady, who could only manage fourth. Abdelhady’s weight selections demonstrated his lack of confidence and he never featured in the medal positions.

Meanwhile, Aljuneidi took the lead with a first round lift of 225kg, 7kg more than the UAE’s Mohammed Khamis Khalaf, who eventually finished fifth.

Despite not completing a second round lift, the 38-year-old Asian Open bronze medallist went on to produce a 229kg third round lift to secure gold – Jordan’s first of the Championships - and improve his own world record set in January by 3kg.

The battle for the remaining podium positions went down to the wire with Iran’s Seyedhamed Solhipourounji and Mexico’s Jose de Jesus Castillo both tied on 220kg going into the final round. With the tension mounting, Solhipourounji managed 225kg to secure silver, whilst Castillo, who failed with his attempt at the same weight, was delighted with a bronze medal and new Americas record.

The 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships, featuring over 330 athletes from nearly 60 countries, run from 5-11 April and are the first opportunity for athletes to begin qualification for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

The competition also features the climax to the "Raise the Bar campaign," which has seen powerlifters and team officials take part in education seminars as part of efforts to reduce doping in the sport.

More information, including a full competition schedule and live results can be found at the Dubai 2014 website: http://www.paralympic.org/dubai-2014

Athletes:

AUS Benjamin Wright

AZE Gunduz Ismayilov

BRA Rodrigo Marques

BRA Evanio Da Silva

BRN Hamad Alashar

CHI Cristian Aguirre

CHN Huichao Cai

EGY Hany Abdelhady

FIN Janne Piipponen

FRA Rafik Arabat

GER Mario Hochberg

GRE Vasileios Terzitianos

INA Anto Boy Anto Boy

IRI Seyedhamed Solhipourounji

IRL Reggie Byrne

IRL Christopher O'Connor

JOR Mutaz Zakaria Daoud Aljuneidi

JPN Hideki Odo

JPN Nobuhiro Saito

KAZ Janet Zhakiyen

MAS Nurul Azhar Norrin

MEX Jose de Jesus Castillo Castillo

MGL Sodnompiljee Enkhbayar

NED Patrique Dankers

NED Toninho Norden

NGR Opeyemi Jegede

POL Piotr Szymeczek

SVK Ladislav Lechan

TKM Bayram Saparov

TUR Mehmet Dogan

UAE Rashed Hassan Ahmed

UKR Yurii Kupriianov

USA Jacob Schrom

USA Ahmed Shafik