Iranian para powerlifter Mohsen Bakhtiar secured a bronze medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games on Thursday. The men’s 59kg powerlifting event saw Egypt’s Mohamed Elmenyawy take the gold with a lift of 201kg, while China’s Qi Yongkai claimed silver with 200kg. Bakhtiar earned third place with a 197kg lift. The event took place at La Chapelle Arena.
On day two, Great Britain’s Olivia Broome and China’s Jinping Xiao are the top contenders in the women’s up to 50kg event, while Rehab Ahmed of Egypt is the standout favorite in the women’s up to 55kg category. In the men’s up to 59kg, China’s Qi Yongkai is expected to be the one to watch, with China’s Zou Yi also showing strength in the men’s up to 65kg competition.
Rehab Ahmed, Egypt’s reigning world champion, is among the top contenders for the gold medal in the women’s up to 55kg category at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Four Paralympic champions will be crowned on day two of the Para Powerlifting competition at La Chapelle Arena on September 5, with two finals in the afternoon and two more in the evening.
The Champions to Watch
The action kicks off with the women’s up to 50kg final, promising a thrilling contest. Great Britain’s Olivia Broome, the reigning world champion and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist, is a strong favorite for gold. However, rising stars from recent World Cups could make it an exciting competition. Notably, China’s Jinping Xiao set a new Asian record with a 123 kg lift in Tbilisi, while Bose Bejide also put on a strong display. Unfortunately, China’s Hu Dandan and Nigerian world record holder Esther Oyema (131kg) will not be competing.
Next on the schedule is the men’s up to 59kg final, where China’s Qi Yongkai, the defending Paralympic and world champion, is expected to dominate. Other strong contenders include El Salvador’s Herbert Aceituno, a Tokyo 2020 and Dubai 2023 World Championships medallist, and Iran’s Mohsen Bakhtiar, who has shown impressive form this season. The world record in this category, set by Egypt’s Osman with a 211 kg lift at Rio 2016, remains unbroken.
Disappointment for Axel Bourlon
France’s Axel Bourlon, a Paralympic silver medallist from Tokyo 2021, entered the arena to high expectations but faced a difficult day. His first attempt at 163 kg was rejected by two of the three judges, and a video challenge upheld the decision. Kazakhstan’s David Degtyarev, meanwhile, took an early lead with a 184 kg lift. Bourlon’s second attempt at 169 kg also failed, and his third attempt was similarly unsuccessful, leaving him unranked and disappointed.
Ultimately, Kazakhstan’s David Degtyarev claimed the gold with a 188 kg lift, followed by Cuba’s Pablo Ramirez Barrientos with 185 kg and China’s Jinglang Yang with 179 kg. Bourlon expressed his disappointment, acknowledging that he had hoped for a medal but would leave the Games empty-handed.
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