Competition schedule for IPC Powerlifting Americas Open Championships revealed

Mexico's Laura Cerero will be hoping to get her nation off to a good start when she competes on the opening day of the event in Mexico City ©Getty Images

Three-time Paralympic bronze medallist and home favourite Laura Cerero will be bidding to get her nation off to the best possible start when she competes in the women’s under 41 kilograms competition on the opening day of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Powerlifting Americas Open Championships in Mexico City.

The event, which acts as a qualifier for this year’s Parapan American Games in Toronto and the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, starts on Sunday (April 26) and runs through to April 29 and features a host of stellar names in the sport.

Following Cerero’s appearance on the first day, Paralympic and world champion Amalia Perez will then look to continue her excellent run of form in the women’s under 61kg category on Monday (April 27).

Also in action on the second day of competition is Great Britain’s Ali Jawad, who topped the podium in the men’s under 59kg division at last year’s IPC World Championships in Dubai.

He will go up against double Paralympic gold medallist Sherif Othman of Egypt, who beat his world record with a superb lift of 210kg at the IPC Powerlifting World Cup in March, following the Egyptian’s step up in weight class from under 56kg.

Mexico’s hopes in the women’s under 61kg category rest largely on the shoulders of Paralympic and world champion Amalia Perez, while her team mate Perla Barcenas is set for an interesting duel with Brazil’s Dubai 2014 bronze medallist Marcia Menezes the following day.

The Mexican fans will be hoping Jesus Castillo, who won bronze at the 2014 World Championships, can round off the event in style when he competes in the men’s under 97kg.

Around 120 athletes from 25 countries are expected to be in attendance in the Mexican capital.

Egypt's double Paralympic champion will be hoping to build on his excellent form in 2014 at the event in Mexico City ©Getty Images

"It is great to be able to hold such an important Championships in a country with a strong crop of potential medallists, particularly in the year before the first Paralympic Games in South America take place at Rio 2016 and with Toronto 2015 this August,” IPC powerlifting sport manager Jorge Moreno said.

“It is essential to developing the sport in the region and around the world that we continue to build the competition calendar and provide a global platform for athletes to showcase their incredible talents.”

The event will also be shown live on its dedicated website, here, which Moreno feels will provide a huge boost to the sport.

“I hope that fans will tune in to the live coverage, particularly as it will be voiced in Spanish and in English through the venue announcer,” he added.

“We are constantly striving to expand our reach and believe that alongside the organisers, we can attract more people to the sport with bilingual commentary.”