According to the official website of the competition, the world and Paralympic record holder lifted 270kg in his first move to secure the gold medal in the very first step. The 30-year-old Iranian hoisted 280kg in the second attempt and then lost the 285kg in the last move since he didn’t feel the need to put more pressure on himself.
Rahman had already said before the competitions that he is not after breaking the world record in this event. “I am saving my best lifts for October's Asian Para Games and, of course, for the next Paralympic Games. At Indonesia 2018 and Tokyo 2020, you will witness what no other powerlifter has done before. I am saving the best possible lifts for then,” he said, Paralympics website reported.
The other Iranian powerlifter Mansour Pourmirzaei claimed the silver medal with 245kg and the bronze went to Iraq’s Faris Al-Ageeli who could lift 240kg.
With a total of 10 medals, including 3 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze, Iran finished the competition as runner-up. China claimed the title with 24 medals and the host country Japan ranked third with 3 medals.
The 2018 World Para Powerlifting Asia-Oceania Open Championships opened in Japan’s Kitakyushu on September 8 and wrapped up on September 12. It is the qualification pathway for all Asian and Oceanian para powerlifters striving to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
MAH