Ashok wins gold, Sakina Khatun secures double bronze at Para Powerlifting WC

Para powerlifter Ashok Malik won gold and Sakina Khatun secured two bronze medals in the Best Lift and Total Lift categories, at the Para Powerlifting World Cup 2024, on Saturday7.

Competing in the Women's Up to 55kg event, Khatun impressed spectators with a formidable lift of 93 kgs. Despite her commendable performance, Khatun's journey was tinged with a hint of disappointment as she narrowly missed out on a chance to qualify for the highly anticipated Paralympics 2024.

With subsequent attempts at 98 kg, Khatun pushed her limits but was unable to secure the lift needed for qualification.

Sakina Khatun made history as the sole Indian woman para athlete to clinch a medal at the Commonwealth Games, securing bronze in the women's 61 kg event in 2014. Her accolades include a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Para Games and a commendable sixth-place finish at the 2019 World Championships.

In other events Ashok secured the gold medal with a personal best lift of 197kg in the Men's category, Parmjeet Singh claimed the silver with a lift of 162kg, and Athlete Kasthuri Rajamani earned the bronze with a lift of 105kg in the Women's event.