Gold and Bronze for GB on day two at Manchester 2021 World Para Powerlifting World Cup
Mark Swan won Great Britain’s first gold medal of the World Para Powerlifting World Cup on the second day of competition at Manchester’s Wythenshawe Forum. The 19-year-old’s third lift of 173 kg was enough to see him hold on to top spot, ahead of Poland’s Marek Trykacz, who lifted 172 kg in his first round but could not go on to register a second successful lift. Swan’s performance also saw him smash the junior European record he set at last year’s Manchester event, which had stood at 155 kg.
An elated Swan spoke afterwards: “I still haven’t processed how I feel as of yet. I think I will process it on the journey home. It’s been well deserved. I grinded a lot during lockdown.
“I’ve put more kilos on the board and come back stronger than last year.
“I’m not putting a limit on where I will go. I’m just going to focus on training, getting that technical performance right and see where I go in the future.
“To everyone that supported me, I really appreciated it. I wouldn’t have done it without you and a big thank you to everybody watching and a big thank you to everybody cheering [from home].”
There was more medal success for Great Britain earlier in the day when Kimberley Dean took bronze in the women’s up to 61 kg category with a lift of 78 kg, at only her second international competition.
Speaking afterwards, Dean said: “It has been amazing to have the opportunity to compete. Obviously, this was the first UK Sport event that was able to happen this year because of the pandemic.
“I think it’s been great to see so many athletes, particularly in our own squad, improved and made the most of what we have been able to do at home.
“The opportunity to come and compete at this Manchester World Cup has been really, really good.”
There was also joy for the hosts in the women’s up to 67 kg category, where Rebecca Bedford set a new British record with an 81 kg lift to place fifth overall.
Speaking afterwards, Bedford said: “I’m delighted that I was able to achieve a new competition PB and get my name on a British record.
“It was really good being able to compete in a safe environment after a long time away due to Covid.”
The first session of the day saw a welcome return to competition for Paralympic silver medallist Ali Jawad. After moving up to the up to 59 kg category, Jawad lifted his target weight of 161 kg. Looking to qualify for his fourth Paralympics, the 32-year-old has endured a challenging few years living with career-threatening illness (Crohn’s disease) and was visibly ecstatic to secure a successful lift in the third round, treating live stream viewers to one of his trademark emotional celebrations.
Reflecting on his performance, Jawad said: “Today wasn’t about medals. It was about trying to get in that top eight for Tokyo. 161 kg was the aim so medals don’t matter today.
“The first one was a good start. The second one I could have done a lot better, but I turned that around on the third which is good as I should have more there.
“The Tokyo rankings are my aim. It was never about the medals today so that’s why the emotion was there rather than the medals.
“Back to training and hopefully the last qualifying event in Dubai because everyone is going to be there so I have to be as strong as possible.”
Teammate Sean Clare also enjoyed success in the category, smashing his personal best by 14 kg to finish eighth overall with a lift of 130 kg.
Afterwards Clare said: “I am really pleased to get a PB. My strength since last year has improved, now it’s just to get the technical aspects as good to get the big lifts!”
Nigeria continued their dominance of the event, winning three golds so far on day two in Manchester, taking their tally to six for the competition with one event remaining on Friday evening. Their first success of the day came in the men’s up to 59 kg category where Thomas Kure dominated with a lift of 176 kg. Three-time Paralympic champion and world record holder Lucy Ejike was in fine form, lifting 133 kg to secure their second gold of the day before Olaitan Ibrahim was victorious in the women’s up to 67 kg.
Results – Day Two
Men’s up to 59 kg
Gold: Thomas Kure (Nigeria) 176 kg
Silver: Ibrahim Dauda (Nigeria) 165 kg
Bronze: Mariusz Tomczyk (Poland) 162 kg
4th: Ali Jawad (Great Britain) 161 kg
8th: Sean Clare (Great Britain) 130 kg
Women’s up to 61 kg
Gold: Lucy Ejike (Nigeria) 133 kg
Silver: Rayisa Toporkova (Ukraine) 112 kg
Bronze: Kimberley Dean (Great Britain) 78 kg
Women’s up to 67 kg
Gold: Olaitan Ibrahim (Nigeria) 122 kg
Silver: Tetyana Shyrokolava (Ukraine) 102 kg
Bronze: Britney Arendse (Ireland) 102 kg
5th: Rebecca Bedford (Great Britain) 81 kg
Men’s up to 65 kg
Gold: Mark Swan (Great Britain) 173 kg
Silver: Marek Trykacz (Poland) 172 kg
Bronze: Kazuki Okuyama (Japan) 145 kg
Day Three – Silver for GB
Great Britain’s Micky Yule has won silver on day three of the World Para Powerlifting World Cup in Manchester.
The 42-year-old former soldier lifted 180 kg at Wythenshawe Forum to secure second place on the podium at the crucial qualifying event for this summer’s rescheduled Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Speaking afterwards, Yule commented: “To have the opportunity to lift back here in Manchester has been amazing.
“I missed that last lift, but I am pretty happy with that performance. It sets me up well for pushing forward to Dubai, which is the final qualifier to go to Tokyo, and that that’s where all my energy and all my focus will be.
“I’m trying my hardest. It’s a crazy level at this top, top elite lifting. The weights are there to hit. I just need to hit them and I will do going forward. Attack into Dubai and I will get that plane ticket to Tokyo.
“It’s been a great event here. It’s been tough for all the organisers and officials to get this together and they have done a fantastic job.”
Yule’s silver follows Mark Swan’s gold in the men’s up to 65 kg category on Friday 26 March and more success for Great Britain earlier in the week with medals for Olivia Broome (silver) and Zoe Newson, Kimberley Dean and Charlotte McGuinness (all bronze).
Results Day Three
Men’s up to 80 kg
Gold: Ahmad Razm Azar (Georgia) 190 kg
Silver: Micky Yule (Great Britain) 180 kg
Bronze: Yurii Babynets (Ukraine) 176 kg
The competition continues behind closed doors this afternoon (Saturday 27 March) and on Sunday 28 March when Great Britain’s Louise Sugden and Liam McGarry will compete.
The event is being live streamed on the British Weight Lifting Facebook page.
The National Lottery-funded World Cup has returned to Manchester for the second time, following a successful inaugural event in 2020, and is the first event of its kind to take place in the UK following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Organisers have worked closely with public health authorities to stage the event, with a number of protocols in place to protect the health and safety of athletes and workforce involved.
Courtesy of Conker Communications/British Weight Lifting
