Powerlifting is the ultimate test of upper body strength. Competitors must lower the bar to the chest, hold it motionless on the chest and then press it upwards to arms length with locked elbows. The bench press is the only discipline with 10 different categories based on body weight. The athletes are given three attempts and the winner is the athlete who lifts the highest number of kilograms.

Powerlifting for athletes with a disability made its first appearance in 1964 at the second Paralympic Games in Tokyo as ‘Weightlifting’. Only men with spinal injuries participated with slightly different rules than are used today. Later it changed from ‘Weightlifting’ to ‘ Powerlifting’ and now the competition is open to all athletes with cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, amputees (lower limb amputees only) and les autres who meet the minimal disability criteria. Women competed in this sport for the first time in Sydney in 2000. 

Powerlifting is governed by the IPC and co-ordinated by the IPC Powerlifting Technical Committee, founded in 1989, and is currently practiced in more than 100 countries.

For more detailed information on the sport, please visit the official website at www.ipc-powerlifting.org.