Iranian Paralympic weightlifter Siamand Rahman has been named the Allianz Athlete of the Month for July 2015, following his superb display of strength and prowess at the recently concluded International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Powerlifting Asian Open Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The 27-year-old Iranian sportsman garnered an overwhelming 81 percent of July’s votes. Brazilian swimmer Daniel Dias, Rwandan sitting volleyball player Lilian Mukobwankabo, British wheelchair tennis player Jordanne Whiley and British sprinter Sophie Hahn, received 8, 5, 4 and 2 percent of the votes respectively.
On July 30, Rahman stole the show at the 2015 IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships, and managed to claim the gold medal in the men’s over-107 kilogram world record.
The world’s strongest Paralympian lifted 270 kilograms overhead in his first attempt at the Baluan Sholak Sports Palace, before adding one kilogram onto his former best of 292 kilograms.
Rahman wrote his name into the history books once again, when he elevated 295 kilograms in the third and final lift.
The Iranian athlete has improved his own world record eight times within the past 16 months. He broke his three times at the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, which ran from April 5 to 11.
Rahman followed the suit later at the 2014 Asian Para Games, which opened in the South Korean city of Incheon on October 18, 2014, and ended on October 24, to break his record three more times.
He continues to get closer to his ideal lift of 300 kilograms, which he eyes to accomplish at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in Brazil.