- Who has claimed the men's +100kg Paralympic crown?
- 2008:
IRI - 2004:IRI
- 2000:
USA - 1996:USA
- Who has claimed the women's +82.5kg Paralympic crown?
- 2008:
CHN - 2004:CHN
- 2000:CHN
The Athletes
At just 18, Powerlifting newcomer Zoe Newson is already ranked fourth in the world and has set her sights on gold at 2012
Is the secret to Roxan Luckock's iron-pumping prowess feeding her guns cow meat? Find out as we introduce one of ParalympicsGB’s leading powerlifters…
Meet the Essex-born powerlifter who's all heart - until there's a large weight in front of him
How it works: Powerlifting
Paralympic powerlifting is a bench press competition, in which athletes of various disabilities must extend their arms within 20 degrees of full extension during a lift. Success in this backbreaking event involves years of training, the consumption of a lorry-load of pasta and natural talent
What you need to know
Powerlifters can bench press several times their own bodyweight. At the Paralympic Games Sydney 2000, Jung Keum-Jong of South Korea hoisted nearly four times his own weight in the 52kg category.
When powerlifting first appeared at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 1964, there were just four events for men. Women were able to compete for the first time in 2000. The 2012 Games will see 200 men and women athletes pump iron in a bid to get their hands on one of 20 gold medals.
In 2012, Great Britain's Paralympic powerlifters will be out to emulate Emma Brown. The heavy-lifting lady won back-to-back gold medals in Sydney and Athens. Emma decided to take the sport seriously after lifting a British record with her first attempt.
This sport has seen rapid progress in recent years - 10 powerlifting world records were smashed at the Paralympic Games Beijing 2008.
The heaviest weight ever bench pressed in a powerlifting Paralympic event is a whopping 265kg - that's the equivalent of a fully-grown adult tiger after a good meal.
What to say: Powerlifting
Impress, or annoy, your fellow spectators by talking them through each stage of the lift. "Start" is the referee's signal to the athlete to lower the bar to their chest, while "rack" is called when the press is completed.
Who's good: Powerlifting
Top-ranked powerlifting nations include China and Egypt - China scooped 14 medals at the Paralympic Games Beijing 2008, including nine golds, while Egypt snapped up a total of 10 podium finishes.
Inside stories
Meet GB's powerlifting team
Ali Jawad's lowdown on the scary and hairy one in the ParalympicsGB team
GB name three more teams for London 2012
Boccia, judo and powerlifting competitors added to ParalympicsGB team
Video
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