Para-powerlifting: one more shot to Paris 2024

Uganda’s para powerlifters have one chance left to qualify for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games after nearly two years of trying at several qualifying events. 

Despite a not-so-good performance at the World Para Powerlifting World Cup, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, last week Denis Mbaziira is still the closest to qualifying for Paris.

Mbaziira finished 10th among 12 participants in the Men's Up to 88 kg with  only one successive lift of 180kg in three attempts. That denied him a better total in a race won by Vallejo Rodriguez of Dominican Republic with a total of 562kg, Abdelrahman Abdelfattah of Egypt      came second with 496kg and  Mohamed    Elelfat  finished third with   441kg.

That means Mbaziira’s battle of becoming Uganda’s first para powerlifter at the Paralympic Games needs to engage a different gear at another World Cup—the last Paralympic qualifying event—in Tbilisi, Georgia in June. “Mbaziira is almost there but we need to push another athlete to qualify: either Safalu or Nigo,” said Kenneth Sekilanda, the national coach who took the team to Egypt.

In the Men's Up to 80 kg, Safalu Tamale finished sixth with a total of 288kg after getting his first two attempts right: 140kg and 148kg. He could have done better had he not failed his third attempt of 152kg. In the same category, 2018 African bronze medalist Muhammad Nigo, finished a distant 11th with 135kg only his right lift, after failing 130kg and 138kg.   

Like Mbaziira, Tamale and Nigo will have to improve at Tbilisi if they are serious about Paris.

Meanwhile, Babu Baabumba impressed with a fifth place finish with a total of 226kg in the Men’s 59kg, after succeeding at 110kg and 116kg and failing the 112kg attempt. But because he has missed the previous qualifying events his chances for Paris are slim.

Rebecca Zawedde, on her international debut, finished seventh in the Women’s 88kg with a total of 113kg gathered from two successful attempts: 55kg and   58kg. She failed at 60kg.  For her it was priceless exposure at the elite level, one she would wish to add on in Georgia.

Team Uganda at World Cup

Name                 Attempts                         Total  

Men’s 59kg

Babu Baabumba:  110 112 116                       226kg

Men’s Up to 80kg

Safalu Tamale:      140 148 152                      288kg

Muhamed Nigo:   130 135 138                     135kg   

Men's Up to 88 kg

Denis Mbaziira:    180 180  181                      180kg

Women’s Up to 88kg

Rebecca Zawedde: 55     58   60             130kg