Women's -61 kg - IPC Powerlifting World Championships

Two London 2012 Paralympic champions went head-to-head at the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai, UAE, on Tuesday (8 April) with Egypt's Fatma Omar coming out on top against Mexico's Amilia Perez, on a day that saw world records continue to fall.

Due to changes in weight categories made in 2013, Omar - the -56kg champion from London - was pitched against Perez - the -60kg gold medallist - in the women's -61kg.

Despite the rivalry, the gold medal was effectively decided in the first round with world record holder and four-time Paralympic champion Omar lifting 130kg. The weight was 15kg more than any of her competitors could manage in the opening exchanges and a lift that was never challenged in the following rounds.

Returning from a shoulder injury, Perez struggled to find her rhythm and failed with her first two attempts at 128kg, whilst Omar, confident of victory, was unsuccessful at two 135kg world record attempts.

With the prospect of not even posting a weight, never mind winning a medal, a growing possibility for Perez, the 40-year-old showed grit and determination to succeed with her third attempt at 128kg, which was good enough to secure the silver medal ahead of China's Yan Yang (115kg) in bronze.

With the medals decided, Perez then failed with a 135kg world record attempt and could only watch on as World Champion Omar managed 135.5kg, to add 3.5kg to her previous best set five months ago.

The junior world title and European record went to Russia's 19-year-old Irina Galitcyna (70kg).

The 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships have featured over 330 athletes from nearly 60 countries and were the first opportunity for athletes to begin qualification for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

The competition also featured 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.

For more information about the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships, please visit the Dubai 2014 microsite: http://www.paralympic.org/dubai-2014

Athletes:

CHN Jianjin Cui

CHN Yan Yang

EGY Fatma Omar

IRQ Gharam Al Osmanee

IRQ Dhikra Saleem

KAZ Raushan Koishibayeva

KOR Hyeong Hui Kim

MAR Sanae Soubane

MEX Amalia Perez

POL MAGDALENA KONIOR

RSA Chantell Stierman

RUS Irina Galitcyna

SYR Natali Elias

THA Somkhoun Anon

TKM Valentina Simakova

TPE Ya-Hsuan Lin

TUR Gamze Sayar

TUR Dilfiroz Atilgan

UKR Tetyana Shyrokolava

USA Chelsi Figley