Adesokan breaks powerlifting record

Yakubu Adesokan shows off his gold medal after setting a new world record during the Men’s 48kg Powerlifting of the London 2012 Paralympic Games at Excel.

| credits: summergames.uxadditives.com
Paralympic champion Yakubu Adesokan demonstrated his prowess once again by setting a world record mark of 176kg to take the men’s under-49kg title at the International Paralympic Committee Powerlifting Asian Open Championships in Kuala Lumpur.

The 34-year-old, who won gold at London 2012 Paralympics, setting a world record of 180kg in the under-48kg class, repeated the feat in the Malaysian capital by eclipsing Egyptian Taha Abdelmagid’s record of 165kg in the under-49kg category.

Adesokan, who lifted more than three times his own bodyweight on his way to taking the Asian crown, headed a high class field which also saw the men finishing in silver and bronze positions produce lifts that beat the previous world record mark.

Van Cong Le of Vietnam produced a lift of 175kg to claim the silver medal with bronze going to Omar Qwarada of Jordan following a lift of 167kg.

Another medallist from London 2012, China’s Zhe Cui took top honours in the women’s under-41kg class.

The Beijing 2008 and London 2012 silver medal winner looked to be struggling to make the podium going into the final round but then produced a superb lift of 95kg.

Although Ni Nengah Widiasih of Indonesia also lifted 95kg, her failed attempts in rounds three and four to break the world record resulted in a second place finish, while Nigeria claimed its second medal of the day as Ruth Dodo took bronze with an effort of 89kg.

The championships, which feature 200 athletes from 30 countries, will end on Thursday.

-punch