Paralympic powerlifting is an adaptation of the sport of powerlifting for athletes with disabilities. The only discipline in Paralympic powerlifting is the bench press.
Paralympic powerlifting has been competed at every Summer Paralympics since 1984. Weightlifting had been on the Paralympic program since 1964, however after the 1992 Games the IPC decided to drop weightlifting and hold powerlifting events only. Women first competed in the sport at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.
Vietnam made its Paralympic Games debut at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, with just two competitors: Nguyen Thi Xuan Anh in the women's 800m sprint in athletics, and Truong Cong Hung in the men's up to 52 kg category in powerlifting. The country's delegation in 2004 was slightly larger, and entirely composed of women, with a female sprinter, two female powerlifters and a female swimmer. In 2012, Vietnam fielded its largest delegation to date, with eleven athletes across three sports: track and field, powerlifting and swimming.
Deahnne Mary McIntyre, OAM is an Australian former Paralympic athletics competitor and one of few Australian female powerlifters. She won four medals in the 1988 Seoul Paralympic Games in athletics, and competed in powerlifting from 2000 until her retirement from the sport in January 2011.
The Men's 48 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 20 September. It was won by Morteza Dashti, representing Iran.
The Men's +100 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 27 September. It was won by Faris Abed, representing Iraq.
The Men's 52 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 21 September. It was won by Osama El Serngawy, representing Egypt.
The Men's 56 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 22 September. It was won by Wang Jian, representing China.
The Men's 82.5 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 26 September. It was won by Mohammed Khamis Khalaf, representing United Arab Emirates.
The Men's 90 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 26 September. It was won by Park Jong Chul, representing South Korea.
The Women's +82.5 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 25 September. It was won by Li Rui Fang, representing China.
The Women's 40 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 20 September. It was won by Lidiya Solovyova, representing Ukraine.
The Women's 44 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 20 September. It was won by Lucy Ejike, representing Nigeria.
The Women's 48 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 21 September. It was won by Bian Jian Xin, representing China.
The Women's 56 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 21 September. It was won by Fatma Omar, representing Egypt.
The Women's 60 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 24 September. It was won by Fu Taoying, representing China.
The Women's 67.5 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 24 September. It was won by Heba Ahmed, representing Egypt.
The Women's 75 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 25 September. It was won by Lin Tzu Hui, representing Chinese Taipei.
The Women's 82.5 kg powerlifting event at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed on 25 September. It was won by Emma Brown, representing Great Britain.
Amalia Pérez Vásquez is a Mexican powerlifter in the 44 kilograms (97 lb) - 60 kilograms (130 lb) bracket. She has five times been a Paralympic champion and is the only powerlifter in the world to have Paralympic champion in three divisions.
