Para Powerlifting African Open Championships:
Iranians complete one-two in heavyweight classes
Iranian para powerlifters dominated the men’s heavyweight and superheavyweight events on Day 3 of the African Open Championships in Oran, Algeria, collecting 10 medals – including four golds – on Saturday.
Reigning Paralympic champion Ali-Akbar Gharibshahi was in a league of his own in the -107kg class, posting a 240kg effort with his third attempt to win the gold. A total tally of 705kg secured a second gold medal for the 44-year-old Iranian.
His compatriot Saman Razi – a former world and Paralympic bronze medalist – settled for silver with 205kg. Reza Enayatollahi completed an all-Iranian top three with a successful 200kg effort, while also securing the top prize in the next-generation age class.
Later in the day, the +107kg contest proved to be a two-horse race between the two Iranians. Ahmad Aminzadeh – also a gold winner at Paris 2024 – finished atop the podium thanks to a lift of 247kg, nine kilograms clear of his fellow Iranian Mahdi Sayyadi.
Sayyadi still managed to win the total gold with 703kg, while Aminzadeh, who finished his campaign with two attempts, placed second with a 487kg tally.
Aliasghar Abareqi also enjoyed a clean sweep of two golds on Saturday, thanks to a 210-220-223 performance in the men’s -97kg class. Mobin Mohammadkhani took the bronze with 215kg.
Further success came for the Iranian squad in the women’s competitions. Nikoo Rouzbahani registered a final effort of 145kg for silver in the +86kg category, while Nigeria’s Folashade Oluwafemiayo grabbed gold with 160kg.
Elsewhere in the women’s event, Atiyeh-Sadat Hosseini finished fourth in the -61kg division, but her two efforts of 93kg and 98kg secured double next-generation golds for the Iranian athlete.
Saturday’s results followed a standout performance from Iranian duo Amir Jafari and Mohsen Bakhtiar in the men’s -72kg contests the previous night.
A Paralympic silver medalist at Tokyo 2020, Jafari began his campaign with a 196kg lift but failed a 205kg attempt on his second try. He bounced back to overcome the weight with his final lift, pipping Bakhtiar – who also posted a best lift of 205kg – for the top prize.
Reigning Paralympic bronze medalist Bakhtiar, however, went on to clinch the total gold with an impressive tally of 605kg.
Iran’s Alireza Izadi and Mahdiyeh Mohammadian had collected four medals between them on the first day of the competition. Competing in the men’s -59kg class, Izadi posted three lifts to bag bronze with 183kg before winning the total gold with a 542kg tally.
In the women’s -55kg competition, Mohammadian registered three successful lifts (95-102-105) to finish with bronze and the total silver.
Featuring more than 150 contestants from 20 countries, the event – the third regional championships in this year’s four-event series – is a mandatory part of the LA28 Paralympic qualification pathway.