Ali Jawad

Ali Jawad (born 12 January 1989) is a British Paralympic powerlifter competing in the −59 kg class. Born without legs, he took up powerlifting at the age of 16. He competed in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, finishing fourth. The following year he took gold at the Asian Open Championships making a world record lift of 185.5 kg.[1] At the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai, he became World Champion in his class, setting another world record, lifting 190 kg.[2]

Ali Jawad
Jawad in 2017
Personal information
NationalityBritish
Born (1989-01-12) 12 January 1989
Lebanon
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals2012
Highest world ranking1st
Personal best(s)194 kg (−59kg) WR
Medal record
Men's para powerlifting
Representing  Great Britain
Paralympic Games
Silver medal – second place2016 Rio de Janeiro−59 kg
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2014 Dubai−59 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place2015 Eger−65 kg
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place2014 Glasgow72 kg
Bronze medal – third place2018 Gold CoastLightweight

Personal history

Jawad, who was born without legs, spent the first six months of his life in his parents' home country of Lebanon.[3] Jawad has two short yet powerful stumps for legs, which end mid-thigh. His early life coincided with a conflict between Lebanon and Israel, and his parents chose to emigrate to Great Britain for their children's safety.[3] The family took up residence in Tottenham, London. Jawad has also been diagnosed with Crohn's disease[4] and is a high-profile supporter of charities which support sufferers of the disease.[5] He almost died in 2010 from this disease.

Powerlifting career

Jawad became a British Junior Powerlifting champion, and has set junior British and European records. He is currently ranked number 2 in the World Under-23 Powerlifting category.[6] Jawad competes for the Wood Green Weightlifting Club, and the University of East London.[7][8]

Jawad competed as an international-level Judoka before becoming a powerlifter.[9] He won silver in the Junior World Championship powerlifting in 2006, and gold in the European Championships in 2007.[10] He also won gold at the World junior championships in 2008, setting a British junior and senior record and a European junior record. He also lifted the second biggest weight in Great Britain's paralympic powerlifting history at just 19. He won junior gold at the European championships in 2007 and at 17 years old finishing 4th in the senior category.

In the run up to the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, Jawad competed in the 2015 IPC European Powerlifting Championships in Eger, Hungary. There he secured a gold medal in the −65 kg class.[11]

See also

References
  1. Ali Jawad: British IPC powerlifter wins gold with world record lift, BBC, 4 November 2013, archived from the original on 3 February 2014, retrieved 9 April 2014
  2. GB's Ali Jawad wins powerlifting World Championships gold, BBC, 7 April 2014, archived from the original on 7 April 2014, retrieved 9 April 2014
  3. "Jawad, Ali". ipc.infostradasports.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  4. "Ali Jawad: No more excuses post-London 2012". Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  5. "Tokyo 2020 Paralympics: Ali Jawad rejects Crohn's disease treatment in bid to compete". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  6. Ali Jawad Interview, parasport.org.uk, archived from the original on 19 July 2011, retrieved 28 February 2011
  7. Lazarus, Dina. "London's future Olympic stars: update". Olympics. Time Out. Archived from the original on 8 March 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  8. Apajee, Dekan (13 January 2011). "BBC London 94.9 looks Towards 2012". People and Places: 2012. BBC London. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  9. "The Ali Jawad Story". Special Needs Judo Foundation. Archived from the original on 6 December 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  10. "The Athletes". Paralympics GB. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  11. "Ali Jawad and Micky Yule win European powerlifting golds". BBC Sport. 28 November 2015. Archived from the original on 1 December 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
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