Dubai: Jordan’s Abdelkareem Mohmmad Khattab delivered what he promised, breaking the world record three times to make it a Super Saturday for his fans on his way to win the gold medal on the penultimate day of the Fazza 12th Dubai 2022 Para Powerlifting World Cup here.
Khattab, the Paralympic and reigning world champion, looked confident and started his campaign at 235 kg before going for world record attempt 245 kg in his second round, only to succeed at the Dubai Club for People of Determination venue.
Khattab went six kilograms up in his third round, breaking the world record again at 251 kg and then at 255 kg to display an incredible showing of powerlifting in Dubai.
World record
The Jordan star, who has the world record in men’s up to 88 kg to his name at 250 kg, broke the men’s -97kg record held by Mohamed Eldib of Egypt since 2016.
“I have been training for the last 10 years to get this result. It’s my first world record in this age category and I am very proud of it. I hope I can continue with such performance in the Paralympics as well and put my country on top,” said Khattab who has already indicated of bettering his record at the World Championships set to be held in Dubai next August.
Columbia’s Fabio Torres took the silver at 225kg, while UAE’s Mohammed Khamis Khalaf settled for the bronze with his best lift of 220kg. He, however, took home the one gold and a silver in the Legend category, another silver in the Total Lift (646) apart from the bronze medal.
“I am happy with the result. I have reached the target for the year. I will be back stronger next year,” said Khalaf hoping to be better at the Worlds.
Fahad Mohammed added another medal in UAE’s tally taking the bronze in Total category with a total lift of 509 kg.
Alnaqbi clinches gold
Earlier, UAE’s Haifa Alnaqbi took the gold in Total Lift category of women’s up to 67 kg. Alnaqbi, who had a best lift of 94 kg to end sixth in Best Lift category, totalled 269 kg for the gold medal.
“I am happy to get a gold at my home country. It was a proud moment for my family as well. I hope I can do better next year and secure a medal in other category as well,” said Alnaqbi who had a gold medal in IWAS 2022 World Games.
Around 200 lifters from 40 nations are competing in the final World Para Powerlifting World Cup of the season with Paralympic and World stars in the star-studded line-up in the four-day competition.
The event, that runs until Sunday (18 December), offers important world ranking points in the qualification pathway to the Paris 2022 Paralympic Games.
