On the first day of powerlifting at the Paris Paralympics, Chinese women made a striking impact. Guo Lingling set a new world record in the up to 45kg category on Wednesday. The 35-year-old improved her bench press record from 121kg in February to 123kg in Paris. Britain's Zoe Newson, who lifted 109kg, secured second place.
Lingling's performance at the partially-filled La Chapelle Arena helped China maintain its lead in the overall medal standings at Paris 2024. “I am very excited and happy, and the atmosphere in the stadium was incredibly inspiring,” Lingling said. “The Chinese government invests heavily in training, so China will always top the gold medal tally.”
Earlier, her teammate Cui Zhe set a new Paralympic record in the up to 41kg category. Zhe, who turns 38 in December, won gold with a lift of 119kg—almost three times her body weight—after earning four silver medals in previous Games. “I always believed in myself and knew I could achieve gold,” Zhe stated. “I was determined to reach this goal and never gave up, always performing my best. Becoming a Paralympic champion has been my long-held ambition.”
In the men’s events, Jordan's Omar Qarada successfully defended his title in the up to 49kg category with a lift of 181kg, while Cuba’s Pablo Ramirez is a strong contender for the up to 45kg final later in the day.
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