Powerlifting at the 2008 Summer Paralympics – Women's 56 kg

The women's 56 kg powerlifting event at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was contested on 10 September at the Beihang University Gymnasium in Beijing, China. This event was the fifth-lightest of the women's powerlifting weight classes, limiting competitors to a maximum of 56 kilograms (123.5 lb) of body mass.

Powerlifting - Women's 56 kg at the XIII Paralympic Games
Venue	Beihang University Gymnasium
Date	10 September
Competitors	8 from 8 nations
Medalists
Fatma Omar  Egypt Irina Kazantseva  Russia Siow Lee Chan  Malaysia

Powerlifting at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
	Men	Women
	48 kg	40 kg
	52 kg	44 kg
	56 kg	48 kg
	60 kg	52 kg
	67.5 kg	56 kg
	75 kg	60 kg
	82.5 kg	67.5 kg
	90 kg	75 kg
	100 kg	82.5 kg
	+100 kg	+82.5 kg

As with all Paralympic powerlifting events, lifters competed in the bench press. Each athlete was allowed three attempts to bench press as much weight as possible. Athletes attempting to break a record were allowed a fourth attempt. For the attempt to be valid, the competitor must have lowered the weighted bar to her chest, held it motionless for a moment, then pressed the bar upwards until her arms were fully extended. If the competitor failed to meet these requirements or any other rule infraction was committed, the attempt was declared invalid by a team of three referees and the result struck from the record.[1]