Powerlifting in Cameroon

Powerlifting in Cameroon is one of several para-sports in Cameroon for people with physical disabilities. The sport is represented nationally at the University Games.

Cameroon has a history of competing internationally in powerlifting dating back to at least 2006, when the sport appeared on the 2006 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped program. Cameroon won several medals in the sport in the home hosted 2007 edition. Cameroon tried to qualify lifters for the 2012 Summer Paralympics, ultimately sending Conrat Frederic Atangana , who became the country's first ever Paralympian at the country's debut Paralympic Games. There were no Cameroonians ranked internationally in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013.

National

Para-sports had made their way on to the University Games program in Cameroon by 2014.[1] At the 2015 edition, at least three para-sports events were contested including the javelin throw from athletics, table tennis and powerlifting.[2]

International competitions

Cameroon sent a delegation to the 2006 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped, where two sports on the program were wheelchair basketball and powerlifting.[3]

The African Francophone Games for the Handicapped were created in 1994, with a Central African version being created in 2008.[4][5][6][5] Cameroon was originally scheduled to host them in July of that year, but the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education postponed them because of poor facilities and lack of access to quality equipment.[7] The Games did not take place until August. Cameroon won medals in powerlifting. Lifters participating included Francis Biwole Nkodo and Joelle Mboe. Mboe is nicknamed "Gazelle des Jeux". She won gold in the -67 kg class with a lift of 182 kg. Nkodo also won gold in powerlifting. Ghamsi Mimosette won gold in the women's -67 kg event with a lift of 70 kg. Conrat Frederic Atangana won gold in the men's -52 kg event with a lift of 140 kg.[8]

Cameroon hosted the 2011 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped. Events on the program included athletics, powerlifting, table tennis and traditional blind wrestling.[9][10] Funding issues were a major obstacle to hosting the event in a fully professional matter, though every attempt to do so was done. The Games had classifiers and anti-doping controls.[10]

In May 2012, Cameroon sent a delegation to competition in Tunisia in order to try to qualify for the London Games. The country had five powerlifters they had tried to qualify for the London Games but were only successful in qualifying and funding for Atangana.[11][12] The lifters who were unable to participate were all based in Cameroon, while Atangana was based in Europe and had easier access to funding.[12] Atangana participated in the qualification event for the London Games in February 2012 in Dubai where he lifted 140 kg.[13]

Cameroon sent a delegation to the 2014 IPC Powerlifting Open in Eger, Hungary. Originally, Cameroon planned to send nine powerlifters but visa issues meant only two lifters could participate. Their finish in Eger earned the country eight spots at the 2014 IPC Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai.[13]

Atanga participated at the Paralympic ranking competition in Africa in September 2015 in Brazzaville, Congo in the -59 kg men's event where he posted a lift of 160 kg.[14][15][16] Maurice Francis Biwole Nkodo put up a lift of 166 kg to finish third in the -80 kg class.[16]

Paralympics

Prior to 2011, the country had limited participation abroad as a result of domestic factors related to the NPC. Following major changes to the CNPC in August 2011, Cameroon emerged from its relative international isolation and set about participating in qualifying efforts for the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. Five lifters competed in the 2011 IPC Fazza Powerlifting-Dubai, with Conrat Frederic Atangana ultimately earning a qualifying berth for London following the competition.[17][18]

In the country's short Paralympic history, they have sent one powerlifter to the Games, Conrat Frederic Atangana in 2012. He competed in the Men's 56 kg event in London, where he did not medal. He finished ninth in an eleven deep field, with a best lift of 155 kg.[19] His lift was an improvement of 15 kg that he had lifted at a competition in Dubai earlier in the year.[13] Cameroon was based at the University of Bath ahead of the London Games. The delegation included the country's Chef de Mission, and a physiotherapist.[13]

Powerlifters

In 2016, the country had 8 powerlifters registered with the International Paralympic Committee.[20] This included six male lifters and two female lifters.[21]

Athlete	Gender	Class	Competitions	IPC Registered 2016	Ref
Jean Aguedia	Male			Yes	[21]
Conrat Frederic Atangana	Male	-52 kg -56 kg -59 kg	2008 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped 2011 IPC Fazza Powerlifting-Dubai 2012 IPC Fazza Powerlifting-Dubai 2012 Summer Paralympics 2015 African Paralympic Ranking Competition	Yes	[8][13][14][16][17][18][19][21][22][23]
Jean Solange Avah Mbida	Male			Yes	[21]
Maurice Francis Biwole Nkodo	Male	-80 kg	2007 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped 2008 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped 2014 Commonwealth Games 2015 Powerlifting European Open Championships 2015 African Paralympic Ranking Competition	Yes	[8][15][16][21][23][24][25][26][27]
Julien Sodjine Motto	Male	-72kg	2014 Commonwealth Games	Yes	[21][28]
Philippe Touongo	Male			Yes	[21]
Mimozette Nghamsi Fotie	Female			Yes	[21]
Joseline Nyangono Okono	Female			Yes	[21]
Joelle Mboe	Female		2008 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped	No	[8]
Ghamsi Mimosette	Female		2008 African Francophone Games for the Handicapped	No	[8]

National team powerlifters can face difficult conditions. In 2011, national team para-sports people for athletics and powerlifting trained on a dirt covered esplandande at Stade Omnisport de Yaoundé.[29] Maurice Francis Biwole Nkodo is a lifter on national and international level. He has set a number of national records in the sport.[8][15][16][21][23][24]

Two Cameroonians were ranked in internationally in 2014: Julien Sodjine Motto who finished the year ranked 24 in the -65 kg class with a best lift of 143 kg set in Glasgow and Maurice Francis Biwole Nkodo who finished the year ranked 20th with a best lift of 172 kg at the same competition in the men's -80 kg class.[30] There were no Cameroonians ranked internationally in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013.[31][32][33][34]

References

1. Mbuye, Basil K. (May 27, 2014). "UB celebrate varsity games win". Cameroon Web. Cameroon Web. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
2. Journal du Cameroun (May 24, 2015). "2300 athletes to take part in the 2015 University Games". Cameroon Web. Journal du Cameroun. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
3. "Paralimpiadi 2012 - Camerun, un atleta a Londra. "Un lusso anche una carrozzina di seconda mano"". SuperAbile INAIL (in Italian). September 4, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
4. Tchakounte, Yves (May 10, 2014). "Cameroun : Les 10 curiosités des Jeux Universitaires". Matango Club. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
5. Bell, Daniel (2003-04-16). Encyclopedia of International Games. McFarland. ISBN 9781476615271.
6. Takaw, Effa (August 8, 2008). "Cameroon Wins CEMAC Basketball Trophy". Up Station Mountain Club. Up Station Mountain Club. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
7. Ngatsing Tchuente, Laure (July 14, 2008). "Afrique Centrale: Le Minsep reporte les Jeux de l'Avenir" (in French). All Africa. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
8. "Athlétisme - Jeux paralympiques 2008 : Doutes sur la participation camerounaise". Mboa.info (in French). Mboa.info. August 5, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
9. Biem Tong, Michel (2011). "Sport-Jeux de l'avenir pour handicapés 2011 :Le train de la compétition se met en marche". Poalah.net (in French). Retrieved October 4, 2016.
10. Biem Tong, Michel (2011). "Sport-Jeux de l'avenir pour handicapés 2011 :Les financements toujours attendus". Poalah.net (in French). Retrieved October 4, 2016.
11. Tchapmi, Christian TCHAPMI (August 17, 2012). "Jeux paralympiques. Vers une nouvelle participation foireuse du Cameroun". Cameroon Voice (in French). Le Messager. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
12. "Paralimpiadi 2012 - Camerun, un atleta a Londra. "Un lusso anche una carrozzina di seconda mano"". SuperAbile INAIL (in Italian). September 4, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
13. Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC) (2016). "Notre Actualité". Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC) (in French). International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
14. "Powerlifting world records set in Brazzaville". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
15. "Powerlifters off to Brazil". Press Reader. DFA. January 13, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
16. "AfPC2015". Bench Press Champion. September 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
17. "Notre Organisation - International Paralympic Committee". Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC) (in French). Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC). 2016. Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
18. CNPC (2013). "Plan Strategique 2013-2016 du Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC)". Comité National Paralympique Camerounais (CNPC) (in French). International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
19. "Paralympic Results & Historical Records". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
20. "Biographies: Athletes per NPC per Sport table". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
21. "Powerlifting Sport List - Cameroon". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
22. "14 countries to make Paralympic debuts". International Paralympic Committee. August 30, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
23. "Programme d'insertion sociale du groupe dynamique de sportifs handicapés du Cameroun" (PDF). Impact Sud (in French). Impact Sud. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
24. Bih, Muluh Hilda; Soué, Emilienne (April 2010). "Handisports et loisirs : Handisport au Cameroun". Yanous! (in French). Yanous!. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
25. "Results - Para Sport Powerlifting Mens Heavyweight From 72 1kg - Weightlifting - Glasgow 2014 - Commonwealth Games". BBC Sport. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
26. "(Powerlifting) Athlete Profile : BIWOLE NKODO Maurice Francis - Eger 2015 Powerlifting European Open Championships". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
27. "Glasgow 2014 - Maurice Francis Biwole Nkodo Profile". g2014results.thecgf.com. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
28. "Weightlifting: Para-Sport Powerlifting Men's Lightweight (up to 72kg)". BBC Sport. 2014-08-02. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
29. Mbogo, Etienne; Assoumaïla, Ali; Lejard, Laurent (September 2013). "Yanous ! Handisport : Des Jeux francophones inégaux". Yanous! (in French). Yanous!. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
30. "World Rankings - Powerlifting". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. January 1, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
31. "World Rankings - Powerlifting - 2013". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. January 1, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
32. "World Rankings - Powerlifting - 2011". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. January 1, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
33. "World Rankings - Powerlifting - 2010". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. January 1, 2011. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
34. "World Rankings - Powerlifting - 2009". International Paralympic Committee. International Paralympic Committee. January 1, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2016.