The fastest growing Paralympic sport is coming to St. Louis! As the High Performance Management Organization of USA Para Powerlifting, Logan University is proud to host the St. Louis 2022 World Para Powerlifting Parapan American Open Championships on its campus July 8-11, 2022. This will be the first time an international competition for the sport of Para powerlifting is hosted in the United States.
The competition is open to athletes from all over the world and will include 20 individual medal events and one mixed team event. Pan American athletes (North America, South America and Central America) must participate in the St. Louis 2022 World Para Powerlifting Parapan American Open Championships to qualify for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
“To be the first to host such an event in the U.S. is an honor for USA Para Powerlifting, Logan University and the greater St. Louis community,” said Kelley Humphries-Mascoll, DC, MS, EMT-P, CSCS, ICCSP, CCSP, executive director of Paralympic operations at Logan University. “People with physical disabilities deserve high quality, organized, competitive athletic opportunities from youth sports to elite Paralympic competition, and we look forward to highlighting this growing sport and celebrating Para athletes.”
Now practiced in nearly 100 countries from all continents, Para powerlifting represents the ultimate test of upper body strength in which athletes compete in the bench press discipline. Competitors must lower the bar to their chest, hold it motionless on the chest and then press it upwards to arms-length with locked elbows. Athletes are given three attempts, and the athlete who lifts the heaviest weight is declared the winner. The sport is open to male and female athletes with one or more of eight eligible physical impairments.
WHAT: St. Louis 2022 World Para Powerlifting Parapan American Open Championships
WHEN: July 8-11, 2022
WHERE: The William D. Purser, DC Center at Logan University | 1851 Schoettler Rd. | Chesterfield, MO 63017
DETAILS: Athletes from around the world will compete in 10 weight categories. The event is free and open to the public.
Become a Volunteer: Logan University is seeking volunteers for this historic event. Volunteer opportunities include working directly with athletes on the competition stage, assisting teams during the championships, and helping event officials ensure each athlete has a safe and fair experience. Some volunteer roles are available as early as July 1, 2022. Please fill out the online application to help us understand your volunteer interest.
Become a Sponsor: There are seven levels of sponsorship opportunities available, all of which hold opportunities for name recognition to be viewed globally. To learn more about becoming a sponsor of the St. Louis 2022 World Para Powerlifting Parapan American Open Championships, please contact Logan University at 636-230-1749 or AOC2022@Logan.edu.