PARA-POWERLIFTING star Micky Yule was pleased despite missing out on a medal at the Asia-Oceania Open Championships in Japan at the weekend.

The Wallyford ace, who lost both legs when he stepped on an improvised explosive device while serving in the army in Afghanistan eight years ago,

And the 39-year-old told Courier Sport his target was to win a medal in Japan.

However, he fell just short of that target, with a best lift of 178kg – more than twice his body weight of 71.25kg.

Iraq's Rasool Mohsin took the title with a lift of 219kg, while Iranian Roohallah Rostami finished in second and China's Peng Hu was third.

Yule, though, was pleased with the trip.

The former Musselburgh Grammar School pupil told Courier Sport: "I was hoping for a wee bit more than 178kg but really this was all about a recce for the Paralympics in two years time.

"The flight, food and the weather all need to be experienced and everything I've learned I'll take back and use to be better the next time I compete here."

And the dad-of-two is focused on working hard to improve his current world ranking.

"I'm still ranked fifth in the world and I'll be training harder than ever to move up those rankings."