Ali Jawad

Ali Jawad

Personal information
Nationality	British
Born	(1989-01-12) 12 January 1989 Lebanon
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals	2012
Highest world ranking	1st
Personal best(s)	190kg (-59kg) WR
Medal record Powerlifting Representing Great Britain World Championships 2014 Dubai −59 kg European Championships 2015 Eger −65 kg Representing England Commonwealth Games 2014 Glasgow 72 kg

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. At the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai, he became World Champion in his class, setting another world record, lifting 190 kg.

Career history

Jawad, who was born without legs, spent the first six months of his life in his parent's home country of Lebanon. 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. The family took up residence in Tottenham, London.

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. Jawad competes for the Wood Green Weightlifting Club, and the University of East London.

Jawad competed as an international-level Judoka before becoming a powerlifter. He won silver in the Junior World Championship powerlifting in 2006, and gold in the European Championships in 2007. 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 -65kg class.

References

• Ali Jawad (official website) AliJawad.co.uk