NAGOYA, Japan, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Powerlifter Cui Zhe led from her opening attempt to win the women's 41kg title at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games on Monday, delivering China's first gold medal of the Games.
"This is my fifth Asian Para Games, and I'm so happy to win the first gold for China today," Cui said. "I want to thank my country, our coaching team and everyone back home who has supported me."
Cui also won China's first gold medal at the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, where she claimed the women's 41kg title with a decisive final lift. Eight years later and less than two months shy of her 40th birthday, she opened Monday's competition with a confident 110kg lift, immediately putting herself 10kg ahead of nearest rival Tursynay Kabyl of Kazakhstan.
Cui extended her lead with a 115kg second lift. When Kabyl, the penultimate lifter, selected 104kg for her third attempt, Cui's gold was secured. The champion was not finished, however. She called for 120kg on her final attempt and completed the lift cleanly, surpassing the personal best of 119kg she set at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. After the lift was declared good, Cui turned to the crowd, waved and smiled broadly.
"I focused on staying calm because I had never lifted that weight in competition. I just wanted to get every detail right," she said.
Cui's victory extended a remarkable streak, as she has competed at all five editions of the Asian Para Games and won gold at each one. A Paralympic veteran since Beijing 2008, she finally claimed Paralympic gold in Paris in 2024.
Looking ahead, Cui sees Nagoya as part of her build-up to Los Angeles 2028. "I view this as a test on the road to the 2028 Paralympics. I hope I can lift even better there," she said.
Earlier on Monday, China's Chen Liuxun secured the delegation's first medal of the Games, taking bronze in the men's 49kg para powerlifting with a best lift of 161kg. ■
