Starting in April of 2020, 129 para powerlifting athletes from almost 50 nations have competed in this year’s World Para Powerlifting Online World Cup Series, which consisted of five initial events. The final event of the series, the Online World Cup Final, is set to take place on Nov. 17, 2020. The athletes who have made it to this point will push themselves, and serious weight, for the right to be known as the 2020 champion. Here’s what you need to know about how to watch the event.
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About the Event
The COVID-19 pandemic has restricted in-person competitions and traveling. For that reason, the athletes competed in the first five events at their local training facility or home. In the Finals, the competitors will still lift in an isolated environment, but the World Para Powerlifting Organization will stream it live. In a para powerlifting meet, athletes perform the flat barbell bench press and earn points based on their participation and performance. Here’s a breakdown of the points system:
- Participation — 25 Points
- For Each Successful Lift — 10 Points
- For Each Failed Lift — Loss of 2 Points
- Going “3 for 3” — 20 Points
There is also a potential fourth lift that is given to four random athletes. If the athlete completes that lift successfully, then they receive bonus points based on a roulette value. Up to this point, all of the competitor’s lifts have been evaluated by judges after completion. For the first time in this series, the judges will critique the lifts live during the final event.
The Athletes
Out of all of the athletes who have been a part of this competition, nine are left competing for the title and the special prize — a barbell from Eleiko. This particular event stands out because there will be no separate divisions. All nine athletes will compete as one group.
There were three ways to earn a position in this competition. Athletes qualified based on their total points, a win in the fifth Online World Cup event, or fan votes. Here’s a list of athletes in order of points accumulated so far:
- Vera Muratova (Russia) — 268.5 Points
- Anastasiia “Nastya” Mamadamirova (Russia) — 217.5 Points
- Matteo Cattini (Italy) — 192.5 Points
- Jainer Rafael Cantillo (Colombia) — 168 Points
- Latsami Sipaseuth (Lao People’s Democratic Republic) — 135 Points
- Cristina Poblador Granados (Colombia) — 131 Points
- David Degtyarev (Kazakhstan) — 106.5 Points
- Rehab Ahmed (Egypt) — 91.5 Points*
- Amalia Perez (Mexico) — 67.5 Points
*Fan Vote Winner
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How to Watch
The World Para Powerlifting Online World Cup Final will be streamed live on the World Para Powerlifting Facebook page. You can tune in on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, at 12 p.m. EST to find out who will finish the season as the champion.
Editor’s Note: This article was published in collaboration with World Para Powerlifting. BarBend is an official media provider for World Para Powerlifting.
Featured Image: @parapowerlifting on Instagram
