Rondel Hunte made his debut at the 2026 IPF World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships, which took place on June 13-21 in Druskininkai, Lithuania. He competed in the 120-kilogram weight class and put up a truly remarkable performance. Specifically, Hunte became the first U120KG IPF athlete to achieve a total of 1,000 kilograms (2,204.6 pounds), and that record allowed him to claim the gold medal at the most prestigious powerlifting competition in the world.
Rondel Hunte’s Full Performance Overview
Although Rondel Hunte did make his debut in the open age class of the 2026 IPF World Championships, he had accumulated a lot of powerlifting experience beforehand and was already regarded as a world-class athlete. So, his preparation for the competition went well and he managed to weigh in at 119.45 kilograms (263.3 pounds). When it comes to his performance, Rondel walked away with seven out of nine successful lifts. As a result, his Total came out to exactly 1,000 kilograms (2,204.6 pounds), which was 16 kilograms (35.3 pounds) heavier than the previous U120KG IPF World Record.
Squat
Rondel Hunte kicked his day off with a 330-kilogram (727.5-pound) squat opener. The lift moved easily and served as an icebreaker, allowing Rondel to proceed with more confidence. Therefore, he decided to load 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds) for his second attempt, which was once again a very smooth lift. Finally, Hunte added an additional 20 kilograms (44 pounds) to the barbell, which posed no issue for him.
- 330 kilograms (727.5 pounds)
- 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds)
- 370 kilograms (815.7 pounds)
Bench Press
The bench press session did not start off as Rondel Hunte hoped, as he ended up with an unsuccessful opener of 235 kilograms (518.1 pounds). However, he did not let it disturb him at all, as he decided to add another 10 kilograms (22 pounds) to the bar for his second attempt. With this, he displayed impressive confidence and self-awareness, as he managed to complete the lift despite adding weight. Moreover, for his final attempt, Hunte opted to lift 260 kilograms (573.2 pounds), which seemed like a massive jump at the time but turned out to be another smooth lift for the Trinidad and Tobago representative.
- Unsuccessful — 235 kilograms (518.1 pounds)
- 245 kilograms (540.1 pounds)
- 260 kilograms (573.2 pounds)
Deadlift
Having completed the squat and bench press, Rondel Hunte knew exactly what he needed to do on the deadlift. Before that, he first wanted to establish a good foundation with a 355-kilogram (782.6-pound) pull. With that out of the way, Rondel loaded 370 kilograms (815.7 pounds) on the bar, pushing his Total to exactly 1,000 kilograms (2,204.6 pounds). He announced a 400-kilogram (881.8-pound) deadlift for his final attempt but ultimately decided not to attempt it.
- 355 kilograms (782.6 pounds)
- 370 kilograms (815.7 pounds)
- Unsuccessful / Did Not Attempt — 400 kilograms (881.8 pounds)
Total — 1,000 kilograms (2,204.6 pounds) — U120KG IPF World Record
*Etienne El Chaer held the previous U120KG Raw Total IPF World Record of 984-kg (2,169.3-lb), which he set at the 2026 IPF Sheffield Powerlifting Championships.
Watch all of Rondel Hunte’s lifts here:
Related: Tiffany Chapon (U47KG) Sets Raw Squat and Total IPF World Records at 2026 IPF World Championships
Rondel Hunte made his powerlifting debut back in 2016 and has since made a total of 12 sanctioned powerlifting appearances. He has won all competitions except for two where he was a guest lifter. He now boasts an IPF Open World Championships title, along with gold medals from IPF Junior World Championships, Pan-American Championships, North American Championships, and other prestigious competitions.
