Siamand Rahman (Persian: سیامند رحمان; 21 March 1988 – 1 March 2020)[2][3] was an Iranian Paralympic powerlifter. He won gold medals at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, and the 2010 Asian Para Games in Guangzhou. He is the current IPC Powerlifting World Record holder and the Paralympic Championship Record holder in the +107 kg category with a 310.0 kilograms (683.4 lb) bench press and also holds the junior world record with 290.0 kilograms (639.3 lb). Siamand died on 1, March 2020 due to cardiac arrest.[2][3]

Siamand Rahman
Rahman in 2016
Personal information
NationalityIranian
Born(1988-03-21)21 March 1988
Oshnavieh, Iran
Died1 March 2020(2020-03-01) (aged 31)
Oshnavieh, Iran
Weight169 kg (373 lb)
Sport
SportParalympic powerlifting, Bench Press
Medal record
Men's Paralympic powerlifting
Representing  Iran
Paralympic Games[1]
Gold medal – first place 2012 London +100 kg
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro +107 kg
Asian Para Games[1]
Gold medal – first place 2010 Guangzhou +100 kg
Gold medal – first place 2014 Incheon +107 kg
Gold medal – first place 2018 Jakarta +107 kg
IPC Powerlifting World Championships[1]
Silver medal – second place 2010 Kuala Lumpur +100 kg
Gold medal – first place 2014 Dubai +107kg
Gold medal – first place 2017 Mexico City +107kg
Gold medal – first place 2019 Nur-Sultan +107kg

Powerlifting career

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Despite Rahman suffering from disabilities affecting both legs due to polio, Rahman has been described as "the world's strongest Paralympian".[4]

Rahman began his career in Oshnavieh, Iran, supported by his family and coach Ali Asghar in 2008. He appeared on the world stage for the first time at the 2010 IPC Powerlifting World Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he competed in the men's +100 kg category and bench pressed 260.0 kilograms (573.2 lb) to win the silver medal, losing to teammate Karem Rajabi Golojeh. Rahman set a new IPC Powerlifting World Record in the +100 kg category on his fourth lift with a 285.0 kilograms (628.3 lb) bench press, but did not count toward his medal performance.[1][5]

Months later, Rahman won the gold medal at the 2010 Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China and broke the IPF Senior World Record in the +100 kg category with a lift of 290.0 kilograms (639.3 lb) on December 18, despite being eligible for the junior category.[6]

Rahman broke his own world record again, lifting 291.0 kilograms (641.5 lb) at a competition in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates on December 4, 2011.[7][6]

Rahman won gold at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, breaking the Paralympic championship record of 265 kilograms (584 lb) that was previously held by Iranian teammate Golojeh with his first lift of 270.0 kilograms (595.2 lb) and breaking it again with his second attempt of 280.0 kilograms (617.3 lb).[8] With his successful lift of 280 kilograms (620 lb), Rahman was 38 kg beyond Faris Abed, who claimed the silver medal by lifting 242 kilograms (534 lb).[7]

Despite his disability and young age, Rahman was close to breaking the all-time raw world record (disabled or not) of 335 kilograms (739 lb) by Kirill Sarychev and had expressed goals of bench pressing in excess of 350 kilograms (770 lb) and 400 kilograms (880 lb) in competition.[9]

Following the 2016 Paralympics, Rahman was named Best Male at the Paralympic Sport Awards.[10]

Personal records

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Rahman with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

Powerlifting competition records:

done in official powerlifting meets

  • Raw Bench press – 291.0 kg (641.5 lb) – +100 kg category – 2011-12-04
  • Raw Bench press – 310.0 kg (683.4 lb) – +107 kg category – 2016-09-14

Powerlifting gym records (unofficial):

done in the gym (based on video footage)

  • Raw Bench press – 311 kg (686 lb)[11] – 2017-11-27

Major results

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Year Venue Weight Attempts (kg) Result (kg) Rank
1 2 3 4
Paralympic Games
2012   London, United Kingdom +100 kg 270.0 280.0 301.0 -- 280.0 PR  
2016   Rio de Janeiro, Brazil +107 kg 270.0 300.0 305.0 310.0 WR PR 305.0  
World Championships
2010   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia +100 kg 250 260 265 285 260  
2014   Dubai, United Arab Emirates +107 kg 275 281 285 285.5 285  
2017   Mexico City, Mexico +107 kg 265 275 285 -- 285  
2019   Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan +107 kg 250 265 -- -- 265  

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Siamand Rahman - IPC". Paralympic.org. Retrieved 2013-06-25.
  2. ^ a b Phil Blechman (2020-03-02). "Paralympian Siamand Rahman Has Passed Away At Age 31". BarBend. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
  3. ^ a b Young, Chris (March 3, 2020). "Tokyo Olympics rocked by gold medallist's sudden death at 32". Yahoo.com. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  4. ^ "Paralympic powerlifter and current world record holder Siamand Rahman dies at 31 after heart attack". ABC News. 3 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Video: RAHMAN 285KG BENCH PRESS IPC WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP AT KUALA LUMPUR 2010". Youtube.com. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
  6. ^ a b "IPC Powerlifting Records". Paralympic.org. Retrieved 2013-06-25.[dead link]
  7. ^ a b "Rahman delivers golden performance". Paralympic.org. Retrieved 2013-06-25.
  8. ^ "Para Powerlifting world shocked by Siamand Rahman death". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  9. ^ "Disabled Weightlifting Champion Eying 400kg Record". iran-daily.com. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  10. ^ "2017 Paralympic Sport Award winners revealed". International Paralympic Committee. 8 September 2017.
  11. ^ "Siamand Rahman on Instagram: My dear friends, tomorrow I will be sent to the World Cup in Mexico to pray". Instagram.com. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
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