Derek Thistlethwaite has spent the last few years climbing to the top of powerlifting leaderboards, and he has finally achieved his goal. Namely, he managed to set a new record during his appearance at the 2024 WRPF Battle in the Bullpen, which took place on June 8th in Texas, USA. Derek did so by achieving a 1,060-kilogram (2,336.9-pound) Raw Total, which made for a new U125KG All-Time World Record.
Derek Thistlethwaite’s Full Performance
Derek Thistlethwaite revealed in an Instagram post that his initial goal was not to compete in the 125-kilogram weight class. However, he got a bit heavier during his preparation process and “wasn’t willing to sacrifice strength to do a cut”. In turn, he made his debut in the U125KG weight class and immediately set an All-Time World Record.
Moreover, Derek Thistlethwaite achieved a DOTS score of 624.85, which is the second highest ever achieved in the men’s raw division, only behind John Haack’s. The DOTS score is the result of a calculation that takes into account the weight lifted by an athlete along with their bodyweight at the time.
Squat
Derek Thistlethwaite knew exactly how much he wanted to lift on each of the events, and first up was the squat. So, he opened up with 370 kilograms (815.7 pounds), which put a score on the board. Then, Derek attempted to lift 400 kilograms (881.8 pounds) and locked it out successfully as well.
Although Derek probably had a bit more left in the tank, he decided to scratch his final attempt, focusing on the challenge ahead in the remaining two events.
- 370 kilograms (815.7 pounds)
- 400 kilograms (881.8 pounds) — Competition PR
- Did Not Attempt
Bench Press
Moving onto the bench press, Derek Thistlethwaite’s first attempt was 227.5 kilograms (501.6 pounds), which was identical to his Competition PR at the time. However, he crushed that PR on the second attempt already, having locked out 240 kilograms (529.1 pounds).
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Last, but not least, Derek added another 5 kilograms (11 pounds) to his bench press, locking out 245 kilograms (540.1 pounds) and continuing to execute his plan for the competition.
- 227.5 kilograms (501.6 pounds)
- 240 kilograms (529.1 pounds)
- 245 kilograms (540.1 pounds) — Competition PR
Deadlift
With just one more challenge ahead, Derek Thistlethwaite was confident in achieving his goal. So he opened up with a huge 400-kilogram (881.8-pound) deadlift. With plenty left in the tank, Derek then lifted 415 kilograms (914.9 pounds) on his second attempt, setting a new Competition PR and securing a Raw Total All-Time World Record.
Similar to the squat, Derek decided to scratch his final attempt, which proves that there is still more room for improvement.
- 400 kilograms (881.8 pounds)
- 415 kilograms (914.9 pounds) — Competition PR
- Did Not Attempt
Total — 1,060 kilograms (2,336.9 pounds) — U125KG All-Time World Record
*Zac Meyers held the previous U125KG All-Time World Record, having achieved a 1,055-kg (2,325.8-lb) Total at the 2022 WRPF American Pro.
Watch the lifts here:
Derek Thistlethwaite’s Powerlifting History
Personal Bests
| Equip | Squat | Bench | Deadlift | Total | Dots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw | 848.8 | 501.6 | 848.8 | 2237.7 | 604.3 |
| Wraps | 903.9 | 485 | 903.9 | 2292.8 | 618.09 |
| Single-ply | 395 | 205 | 395 | 1005 | 317.1 |
Competition Results
| Place | Fed | Date | Competition | Division | Total | Dots | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | USA-UA | 2023-04-08 | Pioneer on the Beach | Open | 2237.7 | 604.3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | WRPF | 2022-07-29 | American Pro | Open | 2210.1 | 594.98 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | USPA | 2021-12-11 | Depth Before Dishonor Open III | Open | 2292.8 | 618.09 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | USPA | 2021-06-03 | National Championships | Open | 2232.2 | 602.38 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | USPA | 2020-12-19 | Depth Before Dishonor Open II | Open | 2138.5 | 580.85 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | USPA | 2020-06-06 | Big Tex Open | Juniors 20-23 | 1851.9 | 506.02 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | USPA | 2020-06-06 | Big Tex Open | Open | 1851.9 | 506.02 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 4 | THSPA | 2016-01-16 | Sunnyvale Invitational | Boys | 1005 | 317.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Derek Thistlethwaite has taken part in nine sanctioned powerlifting competitions over the course of his career and has managed to win eight of them. The only competition that he failed to win took place in 2016, when Derek was just 16-years-old. However, his success in recent years has made him one of the most notable powerlifting figures, accompanied by his unique appearance and stellar mustache.
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