Two powerlifting world records smashed at Asian Para Games

The opening day of powerlifting at the 2014 Asian Para Games in Incheon, South Korea, on Sunday (19 October) saw two world and three Asian records broken and Chinese women leading the way with gold in two of the three medal events.

Dandan Hu, a fifth place finisher at April’s World Championships, led the way for China with gold in the women’s up to 45kg class, lifting a world and Asian record of 99kg.

Her lift would have been good enough to secure the world title back in April and was sufficient to smash Zeinab Oteifty of Egypt’s six-month-old world record which had stood at 97.5kg.

Silver went to Achelle Guion of the Philippines after she lifted 70kg, whilst Japan’s Hiromi Kobayashi took bronze with a 62kg lift.

China’s second gold of the day was secured by Zhe Cui in the women’s up to 41kg. Cui, a world silver medallist in April, lifted 98kg to break her own six-month-old Asian record by 1kg.

World bronze medallist Ni Nengah Widiasih of Indonesia lifted 93kg to take silver and Syria’s Noura Baddour took the bronze with an 85kg lift.

In the men’s up to 49kg, Vietnam’s Van Cong Le, a world silver medallist in April, took gold with a world and Asian record lift of 181.5kg.

His lift was just 0.5kg more than the previous world record which was set at April’s World Championships by Nigeria’s Yakubu Adesokan on his way to the world title.

Iraq’s Mustafa Salman Radhi lifted 168kg to take silver whilst a lift of 155kg was enough for India’s Basha Farman to win the bronze, the same position he achieved at the 2014 World Championships in Dubai, UAE.

Powerlifting will continue on Monday (20 October) at the Moonlight Festival Garden Powerlifting Venue with three further medal events.

The 2014 Asian Para Games opened on Saturday 18 October and will run through to Friday 24 October. Athletes from 41 countries will compete in 23 sports.