World champions join second edition of Iran’s Competition in Memory Siamand Rahman

To commemorate the second anniversary of the passing of one of the greatest Para powerlifters of all times, the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Iran hosted the second edition of the National Para Powerlifting Competition in Memory of the Legendary Champion Siamand Rahman.

The event took place from 28 February to 3 March at the Iran Sports Federation for Persons with Disabilities in Tehran, hosting 143 athletes – 63 women and 80 men, including 24 juniors athletes.

This year the competition counted with the presence of international athletes, such as Jordan’s Abdelkareem Khattab, Paralympic and world champion in the men’s 88kg category. Katthab lifted 241 kg in his last attempt to pick gold in the Iranian capital.

Also a gold medallist from the Tbilisi 2021 World Championships, in the men’s over 107 kg, Iran’s Ahmad Aminzadeh lifted 263 kg to triumph in the men’s over 107kg – the same category of Rahman.

Siamand Rahman passed away in March 2020 at the age of 31. He had vowed to set a new world record at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games after his 310kg lift at Rio 206 and is still remembered as a role model in Para powerlifting.

Throughout 2014 and 2016, Rahman broke the Paralympic world record nine times, including a pivotal moment in Rio when he became the first Paralympian in history to lift over 300kg — impressive 75kg more than his closest rival.

The Iranian was also a three-time world champion (Dubai 2014, Mexico City 2017 and Nur-Sultan 2019) and three-time Asian Para Games champion (Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014 and Indonesia 2018).

The first edition of the National Para Powerlifting Competition in Memory of the Legendary Champion Siamand Rahman was held in March last year with 82 participants.