Asia-Oceania Para Powerlifting Open C’ships: Ashok, Sudhir qualify for Hangzhou 2022 APG

Powerlifters Ashok and Sudhir qualified for Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games as the Indian team finished with a rich haul of 22 medals including 6 gold medals at the Pyeongtaek 2022 World Para Powerlifting Asia-Oceania Open Championships in South Korea that concluded on Monday.

Overall, the Indian team had six Gold, four Silver and 12 Bronze. In the Medals Table, China finished on top with 29 medals including 21 Gold.

The gold medalists for India were : Ashok who took two Gold in men’s up to 65kg (Total Score) in Asia and Open events and Joby Mathew who took 4 gold medals in men's under 59kg (Best Lift and Total Score) in Masters’ Asia and Open events.

On the final day of individual event, Sudhir claimed a bronze in men’s upto 88kg with a best lift of 214kg in the second round, to finish behind Paralympic and World Champion Abdelkareem Khattab of Jordan (241kg) and China’s Jixiong Ye who managed 233kg in his final round lift.

Paris 2024 Paralympics

Ashok and Sudhir will now join Parmjeet Kumar (men’s under 49kg), Sakina Khatun (women’s under 45kg) for Hangzhou 2022 APG; and all four are likely to make the cut for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games owing to their improvement in world rankings.

Elated on the team’s show, accompanying national coach J.P. Singh told the Paralympic Committee of India: “This has been the best performance by our powerlifters in an international championship. We not only won several medals; 2 powerlifters made the cut for Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games and are expected to make the cut for Paris 2024. It was a very satisfying performance from the team.”

He informed that the para powerlifters are now focused on doing well at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

“The aim will be to win at least 2-3 medals at the CWG.”

Parmjeet, Khatun, Sudhir, Geeta and Manpreet Kaur will represent India in the Para Powerlifting events at the Birmingham 2022 CWG starting July 28, 2022