Iran weightlifters win 2 more medals in world championships

Tehran April 8, IRNA - Iranian physically-challenged athletes maintained their fine performance in the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships, pocketing two more medals, including one gold. On Monday, 18-year-old Amir Sajjad Yousefizadeh fetched the junior gold medal for Iran in the 65-kilogram weight class at the United Arab Emirates’ Dubai Club, Press TV reported on Tuesday. He started with a 122-kilogram first round lift to steal the show and add 17 kilograms to the previous world record. Yousefizadeh progressed to 127 kilograms in the second attempt, but failed to elevate 133 kilograms in his third and final lifts. The battle for the remaining medals saw Russia’s Denis Maksimenko take silver with a lift of 119 kilograms, and Libyan lifter Saad Taiyb lifted 96 kilograms overhead to round off the podium and pick up the bronze. In the men’s minus 72-kilogram category, Mohamed Elelfat out-lifted Iranian world record holder Rouhollah Rostami to claim a gold medal for Egypt. Thirty-four-year-old Elelfat began with a first round lift of 213 kilograms, which was eight kilograms more than Rostami’s. The London 2012 silver medalist consolidated his lead further in the second round, and lifted 217 kilograms. Rostami elevated 209 kilograms. Rostami failed to lift 217 kilograms to draw level at the top of the leader board, and Elelfat eventually clinched the gold. In this category, Russian athlete Sergei Sychev finished third and won the bronze. The junior podium was headed by 19-year-old Brazilian Rafael Vansolin with a new junior world record of 112 kilograms. Uzbek weightlifter Farhod Umirzakov elevated 110 kilograms to take the silver, and Iran’s Saeed Heidarpour lifted 104 kilograms and finished with bronze. The 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships, featuring over 330 athletes from nearly 60 countries, runs from April 5 to 11 in the UAE. The sports tournament is the first opportunity for athletes to begin qualification for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Iran is fielding 13 athletes in the six-day competitions./end