Dubai 2014: Women’s -41kg at a glance
02.04.2014Take a brief look at the second of five events being highlighted ahead of the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships.
Nazmiye Muslu of Turkey competes on her way to setting a new world record and winning gold in the women's -40kg competition at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
© • getty images
The IPC Powerlifting World Championships run from 5-11 April in Dubai, UAE.
Turkey’s Nazmiye Muslu remains the only lifter to have broken the 100kg barrier in the women’s -41kg competition, but when she competes in the event at the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships on Saturday (5 April), there will be several other athletes attempting to better her performance.
Muslu, who won London 2012 Paralympic gold in the -40kg event before IPC Powerlifting’s new weight categories were unrolled, is currently both the world-record holder and European champion in the -41kg division.
But at the World Championships in Dubai, UAE, she is expected to be challenged by China’s veteran Zhe Cui and Indonesia’s up-and-coming Ni Nengah Widiasih.
Cui, originally a para-badminton player, has been nicknamed “Powerful Beauty” after winning silvers at the last two Paralympics. She was tied for second on the world rankings last season with a best lift of 95kg – 5kg short of Muslu’s best.
Nengah Widiasih was the athlete tied with Cui on the world rankings, having also lifted 95kg at the 2013 IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The aforementioned trio will also be challenged in Dubai by the likes of Indonesia’s Sakina Khatun.
