Paris 2024 Para Powerlifting Day 2 Preview: Top Athletes to Watch and Key Showdowns

Paris 2024 Para Powerlifting Day 2 Preview: Top Athletes to Watch and Key Showdowns

On day two of the Para Powerlifting competition at La Chapelle Arena, four new Paralympic champions will be crowned – two this afternoon and two tonight. Here’s a look at the schedule and some of the key competitors to watch as the competition climbs in Paris on September 5.

Afternoon Finals

The action gets underway with the women’s up to 50kg final as Great Britain’s reigning world champion Olivia Broome goes for gold. The Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist could face some stiff competition from some of the sport’s rising stars who have been leaving their mark on recent World Cups. Notably, China’s Jinping Xiao-who performed a new Asian record lift of 123 kg at Tbilisi and Bose Bejide of Nigeria, who impressed people with her strong performances in Tbilisi, are expected to give a fight to Broome.

The absence of China’s Hu Dandan and Nigeria’s Esther Oyema – the world record holder with 131kg-opens a window for a fierce fight on the podium.

But the men’s up to 59kg final is next, and here China’s Qi Yongkai is the man everyone else has to get past. The defending Paralympic and world champion will be seeking to further cement his legacy. His nearest rivals include El Salvador’s Herbert Aceituno, a Tokyo 2020 and Dubai 2023 Worlds medallist, and Iran’s Mohsen Bakhtiar, who has been in outstanding form this season. Depending added spice to the encounter will be that the category’s world record of 211 kg is held by Egypt’s Sherif Osman since his effort at Rio 2016.

Evening Highlights

A standout event of the evening is a cracking women’s up to 55kg final between highly vaunted Ukranian Mariana Shevchuk and Egyptian Rehab Ahmed. The reigning Paralympic champion and Tbilisi 2021 Worlds gold medallist will go head-to-head against in-form Ahmed, the world champion and a world record holder at 135kg. Ahmed is a Tokyo 2020 silver medalist in the -50kg category and is expected to give Shevchuk a run in what is expected to be an electric contest.

Also Read: Pakistan Drops to 8th in ICC Test Rankings After Series Loss to Bangladesh

The last event of the day is in the men’s up to 65kg, a competition in which Chinese hopes are again pinned on frontrunner Zou Yi. The reigning world champion and world record holder in the class – 222kg – has been imperious on the bench, and another title beckons. But Iran’s Amir Jafari Arangeh-teenager, determined to upgrade his Tokyo 2020 silver, will provide a sterling contest after his silver at the Dubai 2023 World Championships.

Day two of the Para Powerlifting competition promises to be quite something, with a full schedule and various world-class athletes competing for the top.

Conclusion

As day two of the Para Powerlifting competition unfolds, the intensity and excitement reach new heights with the evening’s standout events. The women’s up to 55kg final promises an exhilarating clash between Ukraine’s reigning Paralympic champion Mariana Shevchuk and Egypt’s world record-holding Rehab Ahmed, setting the stage for a battle of strength and skill. Meanwhile, in the men’s up to 65kg final, China’s Zou Yi will aim to maintain his dominance against a determined Amir Jafari Arangeh from Iran, who is eager to turn his previous silver into gold.

With these high-stakes matchups, day two is set to deliver dramatic moments and showcase some of the best talent in Para Powerlifting. Don’t miss the action as these athletes vie for glory and make their mark in the Paris 2024 Paralympics.