The curtains fell on the 13th Fazza Dubai 2024 Para Powerlifting World Cup with China finishing on top of the medals table, while the hosts UAE signed off with three medals in the Elite category and six in the Legends category.
The hosts campaign saw Mohammed Khamis Khalaf winning a gold and setting an Asian record in the Legends category.
Among other Arab nations, Iraq – highlighted by Mohsin Rasool’s gold in men’s -80kg – finished with seven medals including two gold in the Elite category while Morocco claimed one gold medal.
Overall, China claimed 30 medals including 22 gold.
China’s campaign was highlighted by Paralympic and world champion Guo Lingling’s world record show where she improved her earlier record of 120kg by one kilogram.
Starting with 110kg, she went up to 121kg in her third attempt to comfortably take the gold medal with a new world record.
“I’m very excited and happy to win the gold and break the world record in Dubai. My performance on the stage this time was better, faster, and more stable. I enjoyed competing here,” said Lingling looking forward to Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Her record-breaking show was the only world record in the Elite category in Dubai 2024 which also witnessed several regional records – 5 Asian record, 4 Americas record and 8 European record.
Overall, there were six world records including Legends records.
Lingling was also joined on the top of podium by her compatriots including Paralympic and world medallists Cui Zhe (women’s -41kg), Tan Yujiao (women’s -67kg), Zheng Feifei (women’s +86kg), Yan Panpan (men’s -88kg), Zou Yi (men’s -65kg) among others.
The Team events – men’s, women’s and mixed – also offered another chance to the players for improvement. Uzbekistan and Brazil won the men’s and women’s team events, while China clinched the mixed team event.