The final day of the 2022 Cairo African Open Para Powerlifting brought more gold and glory to the land of the Pharaohs.
Egypt dominated the competition, held from 27 to 30 October, winning 183 medals: 88 gold, 55 silver, and 40 bronze.
They were followed by arch-rivals Nigeria with 54 medals: 38 gold, 27 silver, and two bronze, while Algeria came in third place with 46 medals: 20 gold, 14 silver, and 12 bronze.
Egypt also collected one gold in the mixed team event, one silver in the men’s team event and a bronze in the women’s team event.
It was the first time ever in Africa for para powerlifting team events.
The tournament took on added importance as it was a direct qualifier to the 2024 Paris Paralympics. The top eight in each weight category will go straight to the French capital.
“It was a great achievement that we were able to win the championship,” Hossameddin Mustafa, the Egyptian Paralympic Committee president, said. “Almost all our powerlifters qualified for the Paralympics. It is also an unprecedented event since we have not hosted an African championship in Egypt since 2012.
“We did great on both the competition level and the organisation because we were backed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports which gave us a helping hand in making the event a success.”
Mustafa added that this was the first step “and we are going to host more events in Cairo”. He said that next month, the New Administrative Capital that Egypt is building, will host the Egypt International Swimming Championship with the participation of 12 countries.
Jorge Murino, president of World Para Powerlifting (WPPO), said he was “excited” to announce that Egypt will host an African Open championship in powerlifting on a yearly basis under the name the Egypt Open and that it would become an official tournament on the international calendar next year.
“I am very excited. The Egyptians have dazzled us,” Murino said. “The organisation of the event was fantastic and Egypt has everything to make it the centre of powerlifting in Africa. They have the world and Paralympic champions, they have the facilities, and the support of the ministry and the president himself is helping all disabilities.
“I will ensure that Egypt will also bid to host the World Championships of 2025. A lot do not know that the African championships in our powerlifting events are more important and more crucial for players than the World Championships.” Murino added that he was sure Egypt will be able to host the 2036 World Cup “very easily and it will be a real success as Egypt is the centre of Africa and has all the fundamentals for success”.
Ahmed Ewin, head of the organising committee, expressed his pride for the successful hosting of the event and the performance of the Egyptian powerlifters. “Almost every Egyptian powerlifter collected a medal or two. We also have readied a junior team besides the seniors, to be given the chance to gain the experience needed. Some of them were able to beat their senior colleagues. This is what we are after: preparing a second team that is qualified and able to lead after our world champions retire.”
Among the gold medalists in the Cairo tournament was Mohamed Elelfat who gave Egypt a winning start on day three with a victory in the men’s up to 80 kg class. It was the fourth African Championships title for Elelfat. His first crown also came on home soil in 2009. “I had a great result back then. I am so glad to get that again,” Elelfat said. “I am sure that the Paris gold will be mine.”
Shaaban Ibrahim and Mahmoud Attia shared the top of the men’s up to 72 kg podium after both lifted 190 kg. Shaaban had retired but decided to return to the sport to take the gold and now has a golden opportunity to be back on stage in the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
“I am very happy to be on the scene and compete and win gold medals again. It is very satisfying and I am very proud that I had the chance to compete in front of my family members and my countrymen.”
And the gold kept coming. Mohamed Ahmed picked up right after his teammates with a title of his own in the men’s up to 107 kg. Amr Mossad made it a clean sweep for Egypt in individual men’s titles on day four with his victory in the over 107 kg class. Mossad’s last lift of 230 kg clinched the heavyweight crown.
Egypt’s women powerlifters were on time with the gold. Fatma Omar, world record holder and Egyptian Paralympic powerlifter since Sydney 2000, was forced out of the sport for two years due to a shoulder injury but was back to gold after she lifted 123 kg to win the up to 67 kg class. Lucy Ejike of Nigeria took silver.
“I am very happy,” Omar said. “At last I was able to avenge myself against my Nigerian competitor Lucy Ejike. I am very happy that this happened in front of my family members and here in Egypt. I suffered from injuries for two years and I am happy to be back in shape and collect more gold medals.”
Nigeria delivered a strong performance of their own claiming the women’s team title. One of Nigeria’s golds came from rising star Onyinyechi Mark who broke the world record to win the women’s up to 61 kg class. Mark’s record lift of 143 kg broke the mark previously owned by fellow Nigerian Ejike.
It was the first major gold medal for the 21-year-old Mark. Veteran Bose Omolayo broke her own world record with a 145 kg lift in the women’s up to 79 kg class. The two-time Paralympic champion felt right at home in Cairo.
“This competition here, I like it. I am very happy. I like this competition a lot. And thank God for giving me the power to push the weights,” Omolayo said.
The men’s and mixed team events wrapped up the competition. Team World, made up of athletes from non-African nations, pulled off an upset by winning the gold in the men’s team event. Favourite Egypt had to settle for silver.
Egyptian legend Sherif Osman made sure to send his squad out on a sweet note by clinching the mixed team event for Egypt with his final lift.
Osman was in four Summer Paralympic Games, winning three gold medals and one silver medal. In the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing he broke the world record with a lift of 202.5 kg.
“I am really happy that I was able to make up for the bronze which I collected in my weight category, Osman said. “It is a great pleasure to be able to add gold to my country’s tally of medals. It is a fantastic competition and I am very proud that we Egyptians were able to hold such a world class championship.”
*A version of this article appears in print in the 3 November, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
Short link: