World Para Champs

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s first Paralympic gold medalist, Lê Văn Công, won a gold at the World Para Powerlifting Championship Mexico 2017.

At the championship, held at Juan de la Barrera Olympic Gymnasium in Mexico Tuesday morning (Hà Nội time), he also broke the world record in the men’s up-to-49kg category.

“I am very happy with my result at this year’s world event. It is wonderful. I gained a victory over myself,” Công told Việt Nam News. “To gain this fruit, I completed the training plans of my training board well, including raising my physical strength,” Công added.

In this category, 33-year-old Công faced four rivals from Hungary, Jordan, Nigeria and Turkey. However, his main rivals were defending world champion, Adesokan Yakubu, 38, of Nigeria, and Paralympic silver medallist, Omar Qarada of Jordan.

In the first attempt, Công succeeded in lifting 178kg to take the lead, while Yakubu and Qarada only lifted 175kg and 172kg, respectively.

Công made it to 181kg in the second attempt. This achievement is equivalent to his gold medal at the Paralympics last year. Yakubu was ousted after failing two times and lifting 178kg, while Qarada only gained 178kg.

In the last attempt, Công failed in the challenge of 183.5kg, while Qarada also didn’t lift 181kg.

Công officially took the gold medal in this category. However, he was awarded one more attempt. This time, he set a target of 183.5kg again, and succeeded. After lifting 183.5kg, Công set the new world record in his category, breaking his own old record of 183kg, which he had set in the Paralympic Rio 2016.

It is the first time Công was crowned the world champion, after participating three times in 2010, 2014 and 2017.

Born with contracted legs, Công grew up in a poor family of five siblings in Hà Tĩnh Province in 1984. He left home at the age of 19 to study at a vocational school for people with disabilities in HCM City. It was during this time that he practised powerlifting to become healthier, and gained many achievements in powerlifting.

This year marks a successful competition for Công as he triumphed at the ASEAN Para Games 9, Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 5 and the world event.

Việt Nam sent six powerlifters to Mexico. Earlier, Châu Hoàng Tuyết Loan dropped out of the women’s 55kg category.

In other news, Võ Thanh Tùng took home a silver medal in the men’s 50m backstroke, after clocking a time of 40.36secs at the ongoing World Para Swimming Championship held in the same place, Mexico City.

Brazilian legend, Daniel Dias seized the gold medal with a time of 35.70secs, while Turkish swimmer Beytullah Eroglu won the bronze medal with a time of 42.05secs.

Last Saturday, Võ Thanh Tùng brought home a bronze medal in the men’s 100m freestyle.

“I am very glad to get a medal in the big event. It’s the first time I have won medals in the 100m freestyle and 50m backstroke category in the world arena,” Tùng told Việt Nam News.

“This is a driving force for me towards the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics,” Tùng added.

Two years ago, five-time Asian champion Tùng brought home the bronze medal in the 50m freestyle in the world championships held in Glasgow, Scotland. In the Paralympics 2016 in Brazil, the 32-year-old swimmer won silver in the same category.

After three days of competition, Vietnamese swimmers have earned a total of two silvers and two bronzes. Today, Tùng will compete in the final category, 50m freestyle, in which he is expected to shine. — VNS