China's Wang Jian will be out to defend the Powerlifting gold medal he won in the 56 kilogram category at the Athens Paralympic Games. He goes into action at 1:45 p.m. (UTC/GMT +8) on Thursday, September 11.

Men's 56kg

• Wang won the bronze medal in this category at the Sydney Paralympic Games, and gold at the 2006 World Championships in Pusan, Republic of Korea. He was also the winner of the 2006 FESPIC Games in Kuala Lumpur and the 2003 National Games in Nanjing, China.

• Jason Irving of Great Britain ranked fifth in the 60kg category in Athens and in the 2006 World Championships. In the 67.5kg category he won a gold medal at the 2003 European Championships, a silver medal in the Open category at the same event, and silver medals in the 67.5kg category at the 2001 and 1999 European Championships.

• The oldest competitor in this event is 43-year-old Jung Keum-Jong of Republic of Korea, while the youngest is 19-year-old Mohammad Alkhalifah of Kuwait -- the only Kuwaiti competing in the Powerlifting competition in these Games.

• Roman Omurbekov of Kazakhstan will be looking to take home his first medal after ranking sixth at the Athens, 13th in the Sydney, tenth in Atlanta and seventh in Barcelona.

Men's 60kg

• Mariusz Tomczyk of Poland will be gunning for his first Paralympic medal in Beijing. He won silver in the 60kg category at the 2007 Regional Championships in Kevala, Greece, a gold medal at the 2005 Regional Championships in Quarteira, and another gold medal in the 2001 Regional Championships in Budapest. He won bronze in the 56kg category at the 1999 and 1995 Regional Championships in Budapest and Strasbourg, respectively. He came seventh in both the Athens and Sydney Paralympic Games.

• Jainer Cantillo of Colombia is also out to win his first Paralympic medal, after winning gold at the 2007 Regional Championships in Rio de Janeiro.

The Men's 60kg medal competition will be held at 5:15 p.m. (UTC/GMT +8).

(BOCOG September 11, 2008)