Gu Xiaofei shows off his gold medal at the award ceremony for the men's 80 kg bench press of the Beijing Para Powerlifting World Cup in Beijing on June 23. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Gu Xiaofei, a men's 80 kg bench presser from Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, clinched the championship with a total of 672 kg in three attempts on June 23 in Beijing at the Beijing Para Powerlifting World Cup.

The 2025 Beijing Para Powerlifting World Cup marks China's inaugural hosting of a single international event for Paralympic weightlifting. A total of 161 athletes and 91 team officials from 22 countries and regions participated in the competition. Running until June 25, the event featured 10 men's individual events, 10 women's individual events, and three team events.

At 36 years old, Gu is a member of the Chinese and Jiangsu weightlifting teams for athletes with disabilities. Over the past decade, he has received 34 gold medals and 11 silver medals in world-class and national competitions, breaking world records multiple times. His accolades include first-place finishes at the World Para Powerlifting Championships and the World Para Powerlifting World Cup.

"I will also participate in the World Para Powerlifting Championships and the National Para Games this year," Gu said. Encouraged by his coach and family, he aims to continue training and strives to stand atop the podium at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, realizing his dream of achieving the grand slam.