Asia-Oceania Para Powerlifting C’ships: Ashok shines with 2 gold on Day 3

Powerlifter Ashok bagged his first international medals in style, clinching two gold and two bronze medals, with a personal best performance at the ongoing Pyeongtaek 2022 World Para Powerlifting Asia-Oceania Open Championships on Friday.

Ashok came out with a consistent show, clearing the bar in all three rounds to lift 150kg, 168kg and 173kg for a total score of 491kg, enough to take the gold medal (total score) in men’s under 65kg. He took the gold medals in Total Score - Open and Asian categories.

In the Individual event, the Haryana-based powerlifter took the bronze medal with his best lift of 173kg, behind China’s Yi Jou (196kg) and Iran’s Amir Jafari Arangeh (195kg). Jou and Arangeh claimed the silver and bronze for Total Score, with 390 and 382 aggregate scores respectively.

By virtue of his performance, Ashok made the cut for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games, which is postponed until 2023, and is likely to make the cut for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.  

The 33-year-old, who had a poor finish in the last two events, the recent one being the Tbilisi 2021 World Championships where he had fault lifts, said: “This is a proud moment for me. I have waited and worked hard for the medals

“Coming into the competition, I was a little nervous as I didn’t have good results in the last two championships. And that’s why we decided to start with just 150kg and raise the weight. In my training I have managed to lift 190kg. I hope I can get a better record for myself at the Asian Para Games.

“My next target is the Asian Para Games,” Ashok told the Paralympic Committee of India.

Mathew grabs 4 Gold in Masters event

On Thursday, Joby Mathew claimed the first gold medals for India in the Pyeongtaek 2022 Championships, in the Masters Open and Asian categories in men's under 59kg event. He claimed 2 Gold medals for his efforts of 148kg in Best lift category (Open and Asian), while he claimed the other two gold in Total Score of 288kg in both Open and Asian categories.

He also qualified for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games with his effort.

Among other powerlifters, Bhawana Sharma and Ramubhai Babubhai Bambhava faltered in their respective events.