Almaty, Kazakhstan and Eger, Hungary to Host 2019 and 2021 World Para Powerlifting Championships

Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Eger, Hungary, will stage the 2019 and 2021 senior and junior World Para Powerlifting Championships respectively, as the sport confirms its major competition calendar for the next three years and begins the following Paralympic cycle.

The Almaty 2019 World Para Powerlifting Championships will be held at the Baluan Sholak Sports Palace. The junior competition will take place on 27 July before the seniors take to the stage from 28 July – 3 August.

The Baluan Sholak Sports Palace hosted a successful Asian Championships in 2015, attracting nearly 200 athletes ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. In 2019, 380 powerlifters from 65 countries are expected to compete in the last major competition prior to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Yerlan Suleimenov, Executive Director of the Kazakhstan National Paralympic Committee, said:

"We are pleased that the 2019 World Para Powerlifting Championship will be held in Kazakhstan and we will take an active part in it as an organiser of such a huge sports event.

"It is no secret that the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and the silver medal of powerlifter of Raushan Koishibayeva was a brilliant example that this sport has great potential in our country, and it has to be developed.

"I think that the hosting of the 2019 World Championship is an excellent way to show that Para sport is making steps forward and gaining momentum in Kazakhstan. It will give an incentive for people with impairments to get involved in sport our country."

The Eger 2021 World Para Powerlifting Championships represents the culmination of several years’ work by the National Paralympic Committee. Since 2013 they have hosted a number of competitions in Hungary, including the 2015 European Championships and a World Cup in 2017 which is currently ongoing.

Another World Cup will be held in 2019, doubling up as a final test event for the 2021 World Championships that will be staged at the Kemény Ferenc Sports Hall venue. World Para Powerlifting is then expecting 400 athletes from 70 countries for the 2021 World Championships as more nations join the sport after Tokyo 2020.

The junior edition will be held on 23 October, followed by the seniors from 24-30 October.

"Hungary is a successful sporting nation, its results have been proved at several Olympic and Paralympic Games since the beginning," Laszlo Szabo, President of the Hungarian Paralympic Committee, said. "As our athletes have been hosted in so many countries, now it is time to reciprocate the kind hospitality and show that Hungary and the Hungarian Paralympic Committee are ready to welcome the world’s best athletes in any Para sport.

"I am so proud of the fact that the best powerlifters in the world will meet and will win the trophies of the 2017 World Cup and the 2021 World Championships in a Hungarian city, namely in Eger.

"Let's meet in Eger, I wish all the athletes good luck for the preparation and for the competition."

World Para Powerlifting Senior Manager Jorge Moreno said: "We are really pleased to announce the hosts of the 2019 and 2021 World Championships, which completes our major international calendar for this Paralympic cycle and begins the next.

"It allows us to be able to work even closer with countries in developing the sport, as they now have a clear pathway for their athletes into and after the next Paralympics.

"Both of the Local Organizing Committees have organised several excellent international competitions in recent years, and we expect each World Championships to reach new heights."

The last World Championships were held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2014 and featured 330 athletes from 59 countries.

The 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships will be held in Mexico City 2017 from 30 September – 6 October.

Regional Championships will be held in 2018. Berck-sur-Mer, France; Kitakyushu, Japan; and Cartagena, Colombia, will host the European, Asian and Americas Championships respectively.

The full competition calendar for 2017-2020 can be viewed at: https://www.paralympic.org/powerlifting/events

For more information, please contact:

Lucy Dominy

IPC Public Relations and Campaigns Manager

E-mail: lucy.dominy@paralympic.org

Tel: +49-228-2097-159

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