Veteran powerlifter pushing for more medal glory

Indonesia's most decorated para powerlifter Ni Nengah Widiasih (right) shouts as she bench presses a heavy weight at her training gym, pushing through a shoulder injury to prepare for her next challenge: winning a third Paralympic medal.

The three-time Paralympian, diagnosed with polio as a child and unable to use her legs, began powerlifting in elementary school-training with her brother in exchange for ice cream.

The Balinese para athlete went on to win bronze at Rio 2016, silver at Tokyo 2020, and even a Toyota sponsorship, and she will bid for gold in the women's 41kg category at the Paris Games that begin this week.

"Powerlifting has changed my life a lot," the 31-year-old told AFP at the national training centre in Indonesia's Surakarta city.

"Maybe if I didn't do powerlifting, I don't know, I have no idea what I would do."

Widiasih says wanting to make her family and country proud was a driving force for another shot at a medal.