Turkmen power-lifter Vepa Nurnazarov wins gold medals at world championships in Bradford

Competing in the weight category of up to 52 kg at the world championship, Vepa Nurnazarov planned to beat the world record in squats (125 kg) and in deadlift (150.5 kg) that were set by him in May this year at the Open Championship of Europe in the French town of Borbon-Lancy. The Turkmen athlete got 126 kg in the first exercise, and 151 kg in the other. In the third event - bench press in a prone position - he lifted 80 kg, improving by 5 kg his own record that he made at the Open Championship.

In his 3 year power lifting career, Vepa Nurnazarov has gone a long way from the champion and holder of the Cup of Turkmenistan to the European and World Champion and five-time world record holder under the version of WDFPF. The athlete is being coached by Ruslan Atayev, who is coaching at the multipurpose sports school of Kaahka district of Akhal province, and Vyacheslav Gafarov, a well-known athlete in the past.

Nurnazarov is planning to participate in the next world championship under the WDFPF auspices that will be held in St. Petersburg in April 2010.