Para powerlifting is an adaptation of the sport of powerlifting for athletes with disabilities. The only discipline in Paralympic powerlifting is the bench press. The sport is governed by the International Paralympic Committee (World Para Powerlifting) and is open to anyone with a minimum level of disability who can extend their arms within 20° of full extension during a lift. Powerlifting has been competed at the Summer Paralympics since 1984. Major competitions include the Paralympic Games and the biennial World Para Powerlifting Championships, and well as the annual World Cup, triennial regional Championships, and Grand Prix events.
History at the Paralympics Weightlifting made its Paralympic debut at the Tokyo 1964 Paralympic Games, allowing only males with spinal cord injuries to compete. Powerlifting was introduced at the 1984 Stoke Mandeville & New York Games and ever since then it has been included in the Paralympic programme. The first Paralympic powerlifting competition took place in New York, USA and featured athletes from six countries. At the Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games, weightlifting was removed from the programme, while powerlifting remained with 25 competing countries. At the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, the number of participating countries increased to 58.
The women’s category was introduced in the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. Para powerlifting was one of the first Paralympic sports to achieve complete gender parity, with an equal divide between male and female participation during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
Best and total medals In 2022, WPPO initiated a new "total lift" medal, awarded for the sum of all good lifts from the three attempts.
Before 2022 medal awarded only in Best lifts. Since 2022 medal awarded in best lifts and total lifts. The World Para-powerlifting 2022 Asia Oceania Open Championships was held in Pyeongtaek, Korea from 15 – 20 June 2022. This was the first competition in history, in addition to the best lift, a total of three lifts were also awarded medals.
1964/1984 – 2021: Only best lifts have medals 2022–present: Best lifts and total lifts have medals
Ages Source:
From 2002 to 2021: Junior (U20) and Senior (+20)
Since 2022: Rookie (14–17) Next Gen (18–20) Elite (+20) Legends (+45)
Junior events were held for the first time in 2002 (or 2006) World Championships.
Weight classes 1984–2012 There were twenty powerlifting events, corresponding to ten weight classes each for men and women.
Men Women 48 kg 40 kg 52 kg 44 kg 56 kg 48 kg 60 kg 52 kg 67.5 kg 56 kg 75 kg 60 kg 82.5 kg 67.5 kg 90 kg 75 kg 100 kg 82.5 kg +100 kg +82.5 kg
Since 2016 There are twenty powerlifting events, corresponding to ten weight classes each for men and women. The weight categories were significantly adjusted after the 2012 Games.
Men Women49 kg41 kg54 kg45 kg59 kg50 kg65 kg55 kg72 kg61 kg80 kg67 kg88 kg73 kg97 kg79 kg107 kg86 kg +107 kg +86 kg
Events Events:
Global Powerlifting at the Summer Paralympics since 1984 World Para Powerlifting Championships since 1994 World Para Powerlifting World Cup (WPPO World Cup) since 2015 Fazaa International Powerlifting Competition since 2009 (2013 not held)
Regional 2013, 2015, 2018. (IPC Powerlifting Open ... Championships) World Para Powerlifting European Open Championships since 2013 World Para Powerlifting Asian Open Championships since 2013 (Asia-Oceania) World Para Powerlifting Americas Open Championships since 2015 (Pan American) World Para Powerlifting African Open Championships since 2015
Edition Year Host Events Athletes12013 AsianKuala Lumpur, Malaysia2022013 EuropeanAleksin, Russia2032015 AmericasMexico City, Mexico204 2015 AsianAlmaty, Kazakhstan2052015 EuropeanEger, Hungary2062015 AfricanBrazzaville, Congo2072018 EuropeanBerck, France2082018 AfricanAlgiers, Algeria2092018 AsianKitakyushu, Japan20102018 AmericasBogotá, Colombia20
World Cup
up to 2016: IPC Powerlifting World Cup
2011 Mexican Powerlifting Competition 2011 Polish Cup Powerlifting-Bydgoszcz 2011 International Powerlifting Competition in Amman 2011 3rd Powerlifting Khorfakkan International Competition 2011 8th China National Games for the Disable 2011 International Powerlifting Competition in Hungary IWAS World Games 2011, 2021 2011 Malaysia Open Powerlifting Championships 2013 Open Misr Cup Powerlifting Championships Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
Edition Year Host Events Athletes-2009 (1st FAZZA)Dubai, United Arab Emirates20-2010 (2nd FAZZA)Dubai, United Arab Emirates20-2011 (3rd FAZZA)Dubai, United Arab Emirates20-2012 (4th FAZZA)Dubai, United Arab Emirates20-2014 (5th FAZZA)Dubai, United Arab Emirates2012015 (6th FAZZA)Dubai, United Arab Emirates2022016Rio de Janeiro, Brazil2032016 (7th FAZZA)Dubai, United Arab Emirates2042016 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia2052017 Eger, Hugary2062017 (8th FAZZA)Dubai, United Arab Emirates2072018 (9th FAZZA)Dubai, United Arab Emirates2082019 (10th FAZZA)Dubai, United Arab Emirates2092019 Eger, Hungary20102019 Lima, Peru20112019 Tokyo, Japan20122020 Abuja, Nigeria20132020 Manchester, United Kingdom20142021 Bogotá, Colombia20152021 Manchester, United Kingdom20162021 Bangkok, Thailand20172021 Tbilisi, Georgia20182021 (11th FAZZA)Dubai, United Arab Emirates20
World records World records in Paralympic powerlifting are ratified by the International Paralympic Committee.
Elite Men Category Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet Place Ref –49 kg 183.5 kg Lê Văn Công 4 December 2017 World Championships Mexico City, Mexico –54 kg 205 kg Sherif Othman 6 April 2014 World Championships Dubai, United Arab Emirates –59 kg 211 kg Sherif Othman 9 September 2016 Paralympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil –65 kg 222 kg Zou Yi 24 October 2023 Asian Para Games Hangzhou, China –72 kg 232 kg Bonnie Bunyau Gustin 6 September 2024 Paralympic Games Paris, France –80 kg 242 kg Rouhollah Rostami 6 September 2024 Paralympic Games Paris, France –88 kg 251 kg Abdelkareem Khattab 29 August 2023 World Championships Dubai, United Arab Emirates –97 kg 260 kg Abdelkareem Khattab 7 September 2024 Paralympic Games Paris, France –107 kg 255 kg Aliakbar Gharibshahi 16 October 2025 World Championships Cairo, Egypt +107 kg 310 kg Siamand Rahman 14 September 2016 Paralympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Women Category Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet Place Ref –41 kg 123 kg Guo Lingling 23 October 2023 Asian Para Games Hangzhou, China –45 kg 125 kg Guo Lingling 14 October 2025 World Championships Cairo, Egypt –50 kg 131 kg Esther Oyema 10 April 2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Australia –55 kg 135 kg Rehab Ahmed 22 June 2024 World Cup Tbilisi, Georgia –61 kg 150 kg Onyinyechi Mark 6 September 2024 Paralympic Games Paris, France –67 kg 148 kg Onyinyechi Mark 23 May 2026 African Open Championships Oran, Algeria –73 kg 151 kg Kafila Almaruf 26 August 2023 World Championships Dubai, United Arab Emirates –79 kg 158 kg Rita Ferdinand 24 July 2026 Commonwealth Games Glasgow, United Kingdom –86 kg 159 kg Zheng Feifei 25 June 2024 World Cup Tbilisi, Georgia +86 kg 175 kg Folashade Oluwafemiayo 24 July 2026 Commonwealth Games Glasgow, United Kingdom
Next Gen Men Category Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet Place Ref –49 kg 161 kg Muslim Al-Sudani 27 October 2022 African Open Championships Cairo, Egypt –54 kg 152 kg Gergő Szebenyi 9 October 2025 Rookie and NextGen World Championships Cairo, Egypt –59 kg 188 kg Qi Yongkai 9 September 2018 Asia-Oceania Open Championships Kitakyushu, Japan –65 kg 204 kg Bonnie Bunyau Gustin 9 October 2018 Asian Para Games Jakarta, Indonesia –72 kg 179 kg Donato Telesca 26 April 2019 World Cup Eger, Hungary –80 kg 170 kg Islam Mohamed 28 October 2022 African Open Championships Cairo, Egypt –88 kg 176 kg Mikołaj Wilkowski 6 March 2026 European Open Championships Tbilisi, Georgia –97 kg 195 kg Reza Enayatollahi 10 October 2025 Rookie and NextGen World Championships Cairo, Egypt –107 kg 205 kg Reza Enayatollahi 12 December 2025 Asian Youth Para Games Dubai, United Arab Emirates +107 kg 219 kg Jasurbek Yuldoshov 11 April 2026 Asia-Oceania Open Championships Bangkok, Thailand
Women Category Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet Place Ref –41 kg 115 kg Kerly Lascano 7 November 2025 Youth Parapan American Games Santiago, Chile –45 kg 100 kg Loveth Abokin 5 February 2020 World Cup Abuja, Nigeria –50 kg 108 kg Olivia Broome 27 November 2021 World Junior Championships Tbilisi, Georgia –55 kg 127 kg Onyinyechi Mark 5 February 2020 World Cup Abuja, Nigeria –61 kg 116 kg Fatma Korany 5 February 2020 World Cup Abuja, Nigeria –67 kg 131 kg Rukhshona Uktamova 9 April 2026 Asia-Oceania Open Championships Bangkok, Thailand –73 kg 110 kg Gulyuz Nematullaeva 10 October 2025 Rookie and NextGen World Championships Cairo, Egypt –79 kg 116 kg Gulyuz Nematullaeva 10 April 2026 Asia-Oceania Open Championships Bangkok, Thailand –86 kg 102 kg Alina Kumeyko 2 December 2017 World Championships Mexico City, Mexico +86 kg 100 kg Elsa Dewi Saputri 7 December 2023 World Cup Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Rookie Men Category Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet Place Ref –49 kg 137 kg Joshua Grist 6 March 2026 European Open Championships Tbilisi, Georgia –54 kg 121 kg Bahriddin Kholbutaev 10 December 2025 Asian Youth Para Games Dubai, United Arab Emirates –59 kg 126 kg Standard –65 kg 135 kg Fathidin Ahmadi 11 December 2025 Asian Youth Para Games Dubai, United Arab Emirates –72 kg 167 kg Muhammad Akmal Danish Mohamad Supi 10 October 2025 Rookie and NextGen World Championships Cairo, Egypt –80 kg 170 kg Elbek Farkhodov 11 December 2025 Asian Youth Para Games Dubai, United Arab Emirates –88 kg 175 kg Elbek Farkhodov 10 April 2026 Asia-Oceania Open Championships Bangkok, Thailand –97 kg 170 kg Azizbek Perdebaev 10 April 2026 Asia-Oceania Open Championships Bangkok, Thailand –107 kg 159 kg Standard +107 kg 175 kg Amirali Eshaghnia Ani 12 December 2025 Asian Youth Para Games Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Women Category Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet Place Ref –41 kg 74 kg Snezhanna Boiko 9 October 2025 Rookie and NextGen World Championships Cairo, Egypt –45 kg 91 kg Amalia González 7 November 2025 Youth Parapan American Games Santiago, Chile –50 kg 78 kg Standard –55 kg 102 kg Rukhshona Uktamova 5 March 2024 World Cup Dubai, United Arab Emirates –61 kg 114 kg Rukhshona Uktamova 6 September 2024 Paralympic Games Paris, France –67 kg 86 kg Standard –73 kg 86 kg Standard –79 kg 93 kg Delima Yunia Susanti 10 April 2026 Asia-Oceania Open Championships Bangkok, Thailand –86 kg 98 kg Standard +86 kg 102 kg Standard
Legend Men Category Record Athlete Nationality Date Meet Place Ref –49 kg 170 kg Omar Qarada 21 May 2026 African Open Championships Oran, Algeria –54 kg 183 kg Roland Ezuruike 14 October 2025 World Championships Cairo, Egypt –59 kg 184 kg Juan Garrido 12 October 2025 World Championships Cairo, Egypt –65 kg 185 kg Ayrat Zakiev 7 March 2026 European Open Championships Tbilisi, Georgia –72 kg 194 kg Shaaban Ibrahim 24 August 2023 World Championships Dubai, United Arab Emirates –80 kg 204 kg Standard –88 kg 227 kg Mohamed Elelfat 12 October 2025 World Championships Cairo, Egypt –97 kg 230 kg Fabio Torres 10 July 2022 Parapan American Open Championships St. Louis, United States –107 kg 237 kg Bobby Body 16 October 2025 World Championships Cairo, Egypt +107 kg 249 kg Konstantin Matsnev 17 October 2025 World Championships Cairo, Egypt
Women