Dubai, February 20 2016 – Egypt deservedly sat atop of the overall medals table at the end of the Seventh Fazza IPC Powerlifting World Cup - Dubai 2016 over the weekend after sealing a dynamic double on the fifth and final day here.
 
Respective victories for Nadia Ali (141kgs) and Mohamed Elsayed (227kgs) in the women’s 86kgs-plus category and the men’s U107kgs classification took the North African country’s gold tally up into double digits as they claimed half of the 20 on offer at senior level.
 
To put Egypt’s dominant display into perspective, the other 10 gold medals were shared around among seven nations (Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Russia and Ukraine) and they accrued more medals in total (16) than the runner-up Iran (six) and third-placed Ukraine (nine) put together (15).
 
The Ukrainians had seemed set to finish second at this meeting, but Siamand Rahman’s new world record lift of 296kgs in the very last event – the men’s 107kgs-plus class – took his country up to three golds to the Eastern Europeans’ two and thus the silver berth on the podium.
 
Rahman’s sensational showing was a fitting finale to the competitive action at the Dubai Club for the Disabled prior to the closing ceremony, where representatives from each of the 42 participating nations were presented with special mementos of this seventh edition.
 
The Dubai-based artist Fawaz Ayoub painted a portrait of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, using glue and gold glitter and there was a prize draw to give all attendees 12 chances to win a state-of-the-art Cannon camera, iPad mini or an iPhone 6s.
                                                                                                                            
The UAE’s Paralympic hero Mohammed Khamis Khalaf, who claimed the hosts’ only senior medal here with bronze in the men’s U88kgs event, was also recognised for his sterling contribution to Emirati powerlifting ahead of the delegates’ final addresses and musings.
 
His Excellency Mohammed Abdul Karim Julphar, the Vice Chairman of the Dubai Club for the Disabled, stated: “This event has been a celebration for all of us here in Dubai and I’d like congratulate all of the winners, especially those who achieved new world records, and thank everyone who has helped to make this beautiful championship a success story.”
 
Souad Ibrahim Darwish, the Director of Championships at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC), stated: “We’ve seen a lot of new world and continental records, as well as many numerous personal bests , set at this Fazza IPC Powerlifting World Cup and that’s a testament to not only the sheer strength of the participating competitors, but the tournament itself. We’re proud to support the Dubai Club for the Disabled in their organization and supervision of this event, which continually raises the bar to the very highest standards of sporting excellence when it comes to disability sport. With Dubai now set to stage the Fazza IPC Powerlifting World Cup through until 2020 too, we look forward to continually supporting such events which ultimately realize the “My Community … a City for Everyone” initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai.
 
“This championship started seven years ago under the patronage – and with the full support – of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, and every year we’ve seen fantastic achievements and great performances from amazing athletes, who have made this event a big and successful one. The world records that have been set in this edition is a very clear indication of that simple fact,” commented Majid Abdullah Al Usaimi, the Executive Director at the Dubai Club for the Disabled and Director of the Fazza Championships for the Disabled.
 
Jon Amos, the Chairman of IPC (International Paralympic Committee) Powerlifting, said: “What a fantastic competition we’d witnessed here, with some very good performances over five long and hard days. We saw 23 records broken this week – eight senior world records, two junior world records and 13 regionals, so well done to the athletes. There was a lot at stake and, to those who are now going to Rio (de Janeiro for the Paralympic Games), I say good luck, and – to those who are not – keeping training for Tokyo (in 2020) and you still have World Championships in Mexico City next year.”
 
Arab countries made up four of the top 10 nations overall, with Jordan (Fourth), Iraq (Tied Seventh with Kyrgyzstan) and Algeria (Tied 10th with Colombia, Hungary and Vietnam) all finishing behind runaway winners Egypt. Morocco and the United Arab Emirates came away with a bronze medal apiece to finish up in a six-way share of 14th spot alongside Japan, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. The Arab nations won 60 per cent of the gold medals (12 of 20) and 35 per cent of the silver and bronze medals (Both seven of 20) collectively. Encouragingly for the future as well, Saudi Arabia (Second), the UAE (Fifth) and Syria (Tied Sixth with Canada and Russia) all medaled in the junior competition.
 
This event was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) and organized and supervised by the Dubai Club for the Disabled, with the support of their strategic partners the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC) and in cooperation with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare (GAYSW), the DSC and the UAE Paralympic Committee.
 
Overall Senior Medals Table at the Seventh Fazza IPC Powerlifting World Cup:
 
1). Egypt: 16 medals (Gold: 10. Silver: Four. Bronze: Two).
2). Iran: Six medals (Gold: Three. Silver: Two. Bronze: One).
3). Ukraine: Nine medals (Gold: Two. Silver: Four. Bronze: Three).
4). Jordan: Five medals (Gold: One. Silver: Two. Bronze: Two).
5). Poland: Three medals (Gold: One. Silver: Two).
6). Russia: Five medals (Gold: One. Silver: One. Bronze: Three).
T7) Iraq: Two medals (Gold: One. Bronze: One).
T7). Kyrgyzstan: Two medals (Gold: One. Bronze: One).
9). Thailand: Two medals (Silver: One. Bronze: One).
T10). Algeria: One medal (Silver: One).
T10). Colombia: One medal (Silver: One).
T10). Hungary: One medal (Silver: One).
T10). Vietnam: One medal (Silver: One).
T14). Japan: One medal (Bronze: One).
T14). Kazakhstan: One medal (Bronze: One).
T14). Morocco: One medal (Bronze: One).
T14). Turkey: One medal (Bronze: One).
 
T14). United Arab Emirates: One medal (Bronze: One).
T14). Uzbekistan: One medal (Bronze: One).
 
Overall Junior Medals Table at the Seventh Fazza IPC Powerlifting World Cup:
 
1). Ukraine: Two medals (Gold: Two).
2). Saudi Arabia: Two medals (Gold: One. Silver: One).
T3). Republic of Ireland: One medal (Gold: One).
T3). Turkey: One medal (Gold: One).
5). United Arab Emirates: Two medals (Silver: One. Bronze: One).
T6). Canada: One medal (Silver: One).
T6). Russia: One medal (Silver: One).
T6). Syria: One medal (Silver: One).
9). South Korea: One medal (Bronze: One).