Huseynov grabs last chance world record

China’s world champion Yujiao Tan was once again dominant in the women’s up to 67kg, setting a new world record on her way to Open gold.

Azerbaijan’s Elshan Huseynov sensationally grabbed a world record from the jaws of defeat at the 2015 IPC Powerlifting European Open Championships on Friday (27 November) in Eger, Hungary.

The 2013 European champion trailed Greek world champion Pavlos Mamalos throughout the men’s up to 107kg. But Huseynov, who looked to be out of contention, went for broke in the fourth round and successfully added 1kg onto his 242kg previous best.

However because Mamalos (235kg) lifted more than Huseynov in the first three rounds, he claimed the European and Open gold.

Huseynov took the Open and European silver with his performance, followed by China’s Huichao Cai (215kg) with Open bronze.

Poland’s Ryszard Rogala (196kg) claimed European bronze.

In the men’s up to 97kg, China’s Qi Dong enjoyed the top step of the podium for the second time in 2015 after winning the Asian title in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in July.

Dong, the Paralympic champion from Beijing 2008, lifted 225kg.

Ukraine’s Anton Kriukov (215kg) added 3kg to the European record to claim the regional title with three good lifts.

Petar Milenkovic (210kg) sealed Serbia’s first medal of the competition with European silver and Open bronze.

Greece’s Anastasios Baos (186kg) completed the European podium with bronze.

China’s world champion Yujiao Tan was once again dominant in the women’s up to 67kg, setting a new world record on her way to Open gold.

Tan (138kg) started out conservatively with a 132kg lift, before adding 1kg onto her own previous best in the second round.

Russia’s Kheda Berieva (110kg), the European champion in the women’s up to 61kg from two years ago, claimed the European gold and Open silver.

Nigeria’s Virginia Azu matched Berieva’s performance, but her heavier bodyweight forced her into Open bronze medal position.

Turkey’s Dilfiroz Kuzdagi (95kg) left with European bronze.

France’s Paralympic champion Souhad Ghazouani returned to the top step of the podium in the women's up to 73kg.

Ghazouani has had a tough couple of the years since winning gold at the last European Championships in Aleksin, Russia, in 2013. At the 2014 World Championships the 33-year-old finished off the women’sin sixth place.

However the 2010 world champion lifted 142kg in Eger, her biggest since her last European title and edging closer to her London 2012 haul of 146kg.

Nigerian Ndidi Nwosu (126kg) finished with Open silver ahead of the slightly heavier Lili Xu (126kg) of China with Open bronze.

Poland’s Paulina Puziak-Przywecka (97kg) secured European silver. Promising Ukrainian Alina Kumeyko, 18, left with European bronze and new junior world record of 97kg. Kemeyko’s heavier bodyweight was the only thing between her and the silver.

Full results are available at the event website, along with live coverage and live results from each day.

Live updates are also being posted to @IPCPowerlifting and www.Facebook.com/IPCPowerlifting.

Competition concludes on Saturday (28 November) with the women’s up to 79kg and over 86kg and men’s over 107kg.

Around 230 lifters from more than 40 countries are in Eger for the final regional Championships of 2015. An Americas Open Championships was held in Mexico City in April and an Asian Open in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in July. The competition is also a Paralympic ranking competition for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.