Powerlifting helps brave para-athlete turn tragedy into triumph

YINCHUAN — Lying on the bench, Ma Zhifu took a deep breath, lowered the weighted barbell to the chest, held it motionless, and then pressed it upward with a low grunt.

After three referees raised their white flags to indicate a successful lift, Ma screamed with excitement, "Finally, I made it!"

In the recent Paralympic Games in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region, Ma, a 54-year-old para-powerlifter, pocketed his first gold medal in the men's 49kg category on his competitive debut.