Siamand Rahman

Siamand Rahman (Persian: سیامند رحمان; 21 March 1988 – 1 March 2020) 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 kilograms (680 lb) bench press and also holds the junior world record with 290 kilograms (640 lb). Siamand died on 1 March 2020 due to cardiac arrest.

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

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.

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.

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.

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). 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).

Despite his disability and young age, Rahman was close to breaking the all-time raw world record 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.

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

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) – 2017-11-27