India’s Kasthuri Rajamani won silver in the women’s 67kg powerlifting event at the Asian Para Games on 21 October 2026. The Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Rajamani, a 42-year-old athlete from Tamil Nadu, lifted 108kg on her third and final attempt.
Para Powerlifting
Para powerlifting is a Paralympic sport in which athletes compete in the bench press. Competitors are grouped by bodyweight category, and athletes with eligible physical impairments take part under the sport’s classification rules. An athlete lies on a bench, lowers the bar to the chest, pauses, and presses it upwards until the arms are fully extended. Referees use commands to regulate the lift. Each competitor has three attempts, and the highest successful lift determines the result. At the Asian Para Games, Uzbekistan’s Rukhshona Uktamova won gold in the women’s 67kg event with a best lift of 127kg. South Korea’s Kim Hyeonghui took bronze with 107kg. Rajamani’s silver improved on her fifth-place finish at the previous edition of the Games.
Asian Para Games
The Asian Para Games are a multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities from countries and territories across Asia. The first edition was held in Guangzhou, China, in 2010. The Asian Paralympic Committee is the regional body associated with the Games. The 2026 edition is being held in Aichi-Nagoya. Rajamani’s medal is India’s second powerlifting medal at these Games. Ashok Kumar Malik won silver in the men’s 65kg category on 20 October 2026.
Powerlifting Competition Format
Powerlifting results are determined by the weight successfully lifted, rather than by the combined total of different lifts. A failed attempt does not count towards an athlete’s result, and the best successful attempt is used to rank competitors within a weight category.
Important Facts for Exams
- The first Asian Para Games were held in Guangzhou in 2010.
- Para powerlifting competitions use the bench press and divide competitors into bodyweight categories.
- Kasthuri Rajamani lifted 108kg in the women’s 67kg event at the 2026 Asian Para Games.
- Ashok Kumar Malik won silver in the men’s 65kg powerlifting category at the same Games.
The Asian Para Games 2026 are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The women’s 67kg powerlifting podium comprised Rukhshona Uktamova, Kasthuri Rajamani and Kim Hyeonghui.
