World Cup 2024: Regional and rookie world records fall in Pattaya

The third World Cup of the season wrapped up with five new Regional records and two new rookie world records in Pattaya, Thailand.
 
Through four days of competition, 149 athletes from 31 countries battled for medals and better positioning in the 2024 rankings eyeing a spot at the Paralympic Games in Paris.
 
Indonesia led the medals table with three gold medals, followed closely by Morocco and Iraq with two each. 13 other countries also earned gold medals at the World Cup.

Next-gen to keep an eye on

Two 16-year-olds shined in Pattaya. In the women’s up to 61 kg category, Uzbekistan's Rukhshona Uktamova finished second and set the new rookie world record three times. The Uzbek teenager lifted 102 kg, 106 kg, and 108 kg to complete a perfect competition. Najat El Garraa won gold with a best mark of 121 kg, while Colombian Ana Lucia Ochoa earned bronze with 101 kg.
 
In the women’s up to 45 kg, Kazakh Aigerim Aidarkyzy finished sixth overall but set the new rookie world record with a 77 kg lift. The World Cup title in the category went to Wafae El Azzab (99 kg), with Maria Jose Perea earning silver (90 kg) and Kazakh Gulim Kurmanbayeva earning bronze (89 kg).

More records broken

In the men’s competition, athletes from Cuba, Iraq, Australia, and Colombia had great performances to set new Regional records.
 
Cuban Enmanuel Rodriguez set the new best Americas record in the men’s up to 49 kg with a successful lift of 155 kg. Rodriguez took the bronze in the category, trailing reigning world champion Le Van Cong (168 kg), from Vietnam, and Parmjeet Kumar (162 kg), from India.
 
Pablo Barrientos, also from Cuba, lifted 172 kg to set the new Americas record and take the silver in the men’s up to 54 kg. The gold medal went to Iraqi Muslim Al-Sudani (176 kg), both of who finished ahead of current Paralympic champion David Degtyarev (171 kg), from Kazakhstan.
 
Iraqi Mustafa Radhi dominated the men’s up to 59 kg, becoming the new World Cup champion and the new Asian record holder with a lift of 205 kg. Colombian Eglain Mena set the new best mark for the Americas and claimed the silver in the men’s over 107 category with 231 kg as Australian Paul Tesoriero lifted 136 kg to become the Oceanian record holder in the men’s up to 72 kg.

Four medals for the hosts

Competing in front of their countrymen, Thai athletes finished on the podium four times. Kamolpan Kraratpet was responsible for the best result for Thailand. She lifted 103 kg to win gold in the women’s up to 55 kg. Vietnamese Loan Tuyet finished second with 98 kg and Moroccan Halima Lemtakhem competed the podium with 90 kg.
 
On day 3 of the World Cup in Pattaya, three Thai powerlifters earned one bronze medal each. Chinnaphop Khamdam lifted 185 kg in the men’s up to 97 kg, Arawan Bootpo lifted 109 kg in the women’s up to 79 kg, and Siraporn Thipmontree lifted 68 kg in the women’s over 86 kg.
 
Full results from the Pattaya 2024 World Cup can be found at the WPPO website.

Next stop

After three stages in Dubai, Egypt, and Thailand, the World Cup moves to the American continent next. From 23 to 26 May, athletes compete in Acapulco at the Mexico 2024 WPPO  World Cup.