Published On: Mon, Mar 7th, 2011

Powerlifting

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Paralympic Powerlifting is a benchpress competition – the ultimate test of upper body strength.

Did you know?

  • In Paralympic Powerlifting, competitors are classified by bodyweight alone.
  • Athletes with different disabilities compete for the same medals.
  • The top three reasons for having a lift disqualified are: not fully extending the arms; not lifting the bar in a single, smooth movement; or not holding the bar motionless on the chest.
  • There are currently more than 5,500 male and female lifters in the world ranking lists.
  • Athletes compete lying on a bench that is 40 to 50cm off the ground.

Key facts

Venue: ExCeL
Dates: Thursday 30 August –Wednesday 5 September
Gold medals up for grabs: 20
Athletes: 200 (120 men, 80 women)

In Powerlifting, athletes are classified by bodyweight alone, which means athletes with different disabilities compete for the same medals.

Powerlifters lower the benchpress bar to their chest, hold it motionless, and then press it upwards to arm’s length while keeping their elbows locked. Each athlete has three attempts at each lift. There are ten different weight categories for both men and women.

Powerlifting at the Games

After its initial introduction to the Paralympic Games at Tokyo in 1964, when it was billed as Weightlifting, the sport now known as Powerlifting underwent a major transition, expanding to include athletes with cerebral palsy, amputees and ‘les autres’ (‘the other’ disability groups).

Women made their Paralympic Powerlifting debut at Sydney in 2000. Since then, the sport has continued to grow at a rapid rate. Athletes from more than 100 countries are now involved in international competition, contributing to a truly dramatic sporting spectacle.

Get involved

Powerlifting is one of the fastest growing sports for disabled athletes. Find out how and where to get started by contacting the British Weightlifting Association and the website of IPC Powerlifting for more information on the sport at an international level.

Learn more about how to get involved on the Parasport website. You could also visit Paralympic Sport TV.

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About the Author

- London 2012’s ambition is to create a Games for everyone, where everyone is invited to take part, join in and enjoy the most exciting event in the world. London 2012 will create the most accessible and participative Games. It will touch people as it has never done before, stimulating people to do more and to try new things and reassess what we are all capable of. London 2012 has sport at its heart and London at the centre, but it is more than London and more than sport. It is a Games for London, the UK and the rest of the world, for sport and culture, for volunteers and business.

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