Indian para powerlifters Parmjeet Kumar and Manpreet Kaur put up impressive displays to win bronze medals in their respective categories at the 2022 Asia Oceania Open Championships in Pyeongtaek, South Korea on Wednesday.
Kumar, who made history by winning India's first medal at a World Championships claiming a bronze in Tbilisi 2021, produced a personal best lift of 163kg in his third attempt to clinch the bronze in men's up to 49kg open final.
His earlier personal best was 158kg achieved in Tbilisi 2021. The Indian finished behind Jordan's Omar Qarada (175kg) and Vietnam's Le Van Cong (173kg), who won the gold and silver respectively.
Before Kumar's show, Kaur had fetched the first medal for the Indian contingent, a bronze in the women's upto 41kg finals.
She lifted 88kg to claim the bronze in open category, finishing behind Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold and silver medallists Guo Lingling (111kg) and Ni Nengah Widiasih (99kg).
By lifting 88kg in Pyeongtaek, Kaur, an Asian Para Games bronze medallist, had also improved her personal best of 81kg recorded in Tbilisi 2021 Worlds.
