Iran's Power-lifter Athlete Rahman Breaks Paralympics Record

London, Sept 6, IRNA – The National Power-lifting Team’s 100kg+ category power-lifter athlete Siamand Rahman, world record holder, Wednesday night broke the 2008 Paralympics record, gaining Iran caravan’s 8th gold medal. Siamand lifted the 280 Kg weigh, equal to the weight of two baby elephants to become this year Paralympics’ strongest man. The record he broke belonged to another Iranian athlete, Kazem Rajabi, who in Beijing 2008 Paralympics marked a world record by lifting the 265 Kg weight, improving the world record 15 kilograms. At the final round of the 100kg+ category Rahman had to compete against athletes from ten different countries. Faris al-Ajil from Iraq gained the silver medal lifting the 242 kilogram weigh and Bae Choon Kion from South Korea gained the bronze medal of the games with his 232 Kg lift. The World Powerlifting 100kg+ category record, too, has been Rahman’s since the year 2011, when he recorded a new world record lifting the 291 kilogram weight in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Now with Rahman’s gold, Iran has 17 medals, including 8 golds, four silvers and 5 bronzes, ranking 9th in the London 2012 Paralympics, regaining the 9th position in medals raking from France which now ranks 10th. Rahman has established himself as a favorite for gold at London 2012 after lifting 260kg at the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Para Games in China, setting a new world record in the 100kg+ category. And despite smashing his record again in April this year at a competition in the United Arab Emirates, with a lift of 291kg, Rahman said his goal in London is gold, not records. Rahman, 24, is easily ranked as the world’s current No. 1 lifter in the men’s 100kg+ category. But he will be under the strict supervision of his coach Davoud Behtaj heading into London, with the goal in mind of reaching records above 350kg and ultimately becoming the first athlete to lift 400kg./end