Jordanian powerlifter Omar Sami Hamadeh Qarada fulfilled his promise to his mother to win Paralympic gold at Tokyo 2020 and now the champion will become a highly-invested spectator when his wife competes in the same sport on Sunday.
The five-day powerlifting tournament at the Tokyo International Forum launched on Thursday with the men’s -49kg weight category and the competition was intense as powerlifting is now one of the Paralympic Movement’s fastest growing sports in terms of participants and is practiced in nearly 100 countries.
Rio 2016 Paralympic silver medalist Qarada, 40, who was born without legs, finally toppled his nemesis Lê Văn Công of Vietnam in a reverse of the result from Brazil to become his country’s second Paralympic champion and first at Tokyo 2020.
The Amman-based lifter bench pressed 173kg at just 47.21kg bodyweight with his Vietnamese rival, who weighed 47.31kg, matching that lift but the former reigned as he was the athlete with the lowest bodyweight of the two which is the criteria used to decide the winner in the event of such a tie.
Azerbaijan’s former European Open Championships gold medalist Parvin Mammadov, 26, took bronze with a bench press of 156kg.
“Before I left Jordan I promised my mother I would bring the gold medal,” said Qarada.
“So first this medal is for her. Second, this medal is for my wife (Asma Issa), she is here and she is waiting for me in the Village.”
Issa, 29, who finished fourth at the 2019 World Championships, is part of an eight-strong line-up for the women’s -79kg at the Tokyo International Forum on Sunday. She was born in Iraq but competes for Jordan.
“There will be a big celebration in Jordan,” said Qarada.
“Not just for me, but for all the athletes who will be bringing home medals to Jordan. Our country is preparing a big celebration for all of our champions to come.”
Qarada lived out his dream at Tokyo 2020 but believes his best is still to come and has already targeted a new world record at Paris 2024.
“It is a dream come true, but it’s just a stepping stone for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where I promise you I will set a new world record.”
The first powerlifting champion at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics reflected on his rivalry with Lê Văn Công and sees the next Games as the battleground which will determine who is the better powerlifter once and for all.
“I speak a lot to Lê. He is a friend. In Rio the same thing happened, we both lifted the same weight on our third lift, but in Rio it was Lê stealing my gold medal. Today it was me who was able to steal the gold medal from him.
“Paris 2024 will finally separate us, because I promise to win gold and bring a new world record.”
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