Guwahati: Punjab’s Paramjeet Kumar became the first Indian para-powerlifter to clinch a medal in the World Para Powerlifting Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia on Sunday.
Paramjeet won the bronze medal in the 49kg category with a lift of 158 kg, while Egypt’s Omar Shami Qarada won the gold medal by lifting 174 kg. Van Cong Le of Vietnam won silver with a total weight of 170kg.
“History created for India in Para @Powerlifting by Paramjit Kumar of Punjab as he wins #bronzeat the ongoing World Para Powerlifting Championship in Tbilisi, Georgia. Paramjit’s 158KG Lift has created history! Cheer for @ParalympicIndia team as the championship continues!” President of the Paralympic Committee of India, Deepa Malik tweeted.
History created for India in Para @Powerlifting by Paramjit Kumar of Punjab as he wins #bronze 🥉 at the on-going World Para Powerlifting Championship in Tbilisi, Georgia. Paramjit’s 158KG Lift has created history! Cheer for @ParalympicIndia team as the championship continues! pic.twitter.com/J0qyFgq5Zi
— Deepa Malik (@DeepaAthlete) November 28, 2021
Parmjeet had earlier won a bronze medal in the 49kg category at the 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia.
He is a resident of Haripur Khalsa village, 22 km from Ludhiana, Punjab.
A ten-member Indian Para-powerlifting squad including, Manreet Singh (41 kg, Punjab), Sakina Khatun (45 kg Karnataka), Raj Kumari (55 kg, Delhi), Geeta (67kg, Haryana), and Bhawana Sharma (86 kg, Rajasthan) are competing in’the women’s category while Parmjit Kumar (49 kg, Punjab), Ashok (65 kg, Haryana), Jai Deep (73 kg, Haryana), Sudhir (88 kg, Haryana,) and Sachin Chaudhary (107 kg Uttar Pradesh) are the participants in men’s category.