The 2021 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Open Championship is underway in Stavanger, Norway. Starting on Nov. 8th, the six-day event will conclude on Nov. 13th. However, it looks like many records will be broken by the time competition is over. Competing in the 74kg (163lbs) weight class, American powerlifter Alexis Maher scored a new IPF equipped deadlift world record of 329kg (729.3lbs).
Maher used the hook grip in a sumo stance to lift the barbell off the ground. He achieved the feat wearing a single-ply suit and a lifting belt. There was no visible lifter’s grind and the 25-year-old led the barbell to a smooth lockout before returning it to the ground.
Courtesy of IPF’s Instagram account, you can watch Alexis Maher’s record-breaking deadlift here:
Alexis Maher broke the IPF Equipped Deadlift world record by a razor-thin margin
The previous IPF world record for equipped deadlift in 74kg weight class belonged to Norwegian powerlifter Kjell Egil Bakkelund. He executed a 328.5kg (724.2lbs) equipped deadlift at the 2018 IPF Open World Championship and won the Bronze medal totaling 868kg (1914.7lbs) in the 74kg weight class. Alexis Maher outdid Bakkelund by a narrow 0.5kg (1.1lbs) at the 2021 IPF World Open Championship. However, the 329kg (729.3lbs) lift was nearly 4.5 times his bodyweight. However, Alexis Maher’s record-breaking deadlift is by no means his heaviest.
According to USAPL’s lifting database, Maher executed a 331kg (730lbs) deadlift at the 2021 USAPL Equipped Nationals. Lifting a total of 808.5kg (lbs), Alexis Maher won the gold medal at the event.
Stats at the 2021 USAPL Equipped Nationals – 74kg Weight Class (Maher’s competition weight – 73.71kg)
- Squat – 312.5kg (687.8lbs)
- Bench Press – 165kg (363.7lbs)
- Deadlift – 331kg (729.7lbs)
- Total – 808.5kg (1782.43lbs)
According to Open Powerlifting, the 331kg deadlift is the third heaviest equipped deadlift of all time in the 74kg weight class. Only two powerlifters have achieved a greater feat in the past. Competing at the 1994 Asian Powerlifting Championship in the Philippines, Darimin Sahroni set the world record with 333kg (735.2lbs) equipped deadlift. 27 years have gone by and the record still remains unbeaten. Sergei Gaichinetc set the record for the second heaviest equipped deadlift when he lifted 332kg(733lbs) at the Irkutsk Oblast Powerlifting Championship in 2009.
However, Alexis Maher is yet to reach the benchmark he set for himself during the collegiate competition days. Competing for the 2017 Texas Open and Collegiate Cup, Alexis Maher set the personal record of 342.5kg (lbs) equipped deadlift en route to a silver medal win. However, he competed in the 83kg (183lbs) weight class at the event.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxZ9xAnAqKA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
2021 (IPF) World Open Championship is still underway. It will be interesting to see how many records will be made when the event wraps up on 13th November.
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