Japanese powerlifters aim for Tokyo 2020 slots

Japanese Paralympic powerlifters will battle for spotlight at the Japan National Competitions in Kyoto, on 3-4 October, as preparations for their home Paralympic Games in Tokyo gather pace.

It will be the first World Para Powerlifting-sanctioned event to be held since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Paralympians Hideki Odo (men’s up to 88kg) bronze medallist at the 2018 Asia-Oceania Open Championships and the 2018 Asian Para Games, and Tetsuo Nishizaki (men’s up to 49kg) will be two of the big names in attendance.

Also keep an eye on the young prospect Karin Morisaki in the women’s up to 67kg.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the competition will be held without spectators, but will be streamed live on World Para Powerlifting’s Facebook page. 

The 2020 World Para Powerlifting season was put on hold in March due to the coronavirus pandemic with three remaining World Cups cancelled: Bogota, Colombia, Dubai, UAE and Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.