The 2023 EPF European Open Classic Powerlifting Championships are taking place on December 4-9, in Tartu, Estonia. Four days of the competition have already passed, and the performance of one young powerlifter, Clara Peyraud, proved to be among the highlights so far. Coming from France, Clara is still a Junior powerlifter, but she took up the huge task of competing in the Open division of the 69-kilogram weight class. Not only did she claim the silver medal, but Clara also managed to set four new records overall.
Clara Peyraud’s first records came in the deadlift event, where she managed to pull 237.5 kilograms (523.6 pounds) on her final attempt. She utilized the sumo stance and a hook grip, while the only piece of equipment she used was a lifting belt. Clara easily deadlifted the weight above knee level but almost got stuck before reaching full lockout. Inch by inch, Clara managed to stand up straight, which concluded her impressive lift. With this, Clara broke the U69KG EPF Junior and Open European Deadlift Records.
The previous U69KG EPF Open European Record holder was Horna Ivana, who deadlifted 230.5 kilograms (508.2 pounds) at the 2022 EPF European Classic Powerlifting Championships. On the other hand, the Junior European Record was already in Clara Peyraud’s possession, but she now improved it by 10 kilograms (22 pounds).
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Clara Peyraud’s Full Performance
Clara Peyraud completed all nine of her attempts and finished the competition with a 540-kilogram (1,190.5-pound) Total. That also broke two records — the U69KG Junior EPF European and the Junior IPF World Total Records. Moreover, with this total, Clara secured herself a second place finish, despite being a Junior among Open powerlifters.
Squat
172.5 kilograms (380.3 pounds)
180 kilograms (396.8 pounds)
182.5 kilograms (402.3 pounds)
Bench Press
112.5 kilograms (248 pounds)
117.5 kilograms (259 pounds)
120 kilograms (264.6 pounds)
Deadlift
215 kilograms (474 pounds)
227.5 kilograms (501.6 pounds)
237.5 kilograms (523.6 pounds) — U69KG Open and Junior EPF European Records
Total — 540 kilograms (1,190.5 pounds) — U69KG Junior IPF World Record and Junior EPF European Record
Data Source: Open Powerlifting. Last Updated: August 17, 2023
Clara Peyraud has taken part in 28 sanctioned powerlifting competitions so far, and has won 19 of them. Among those, Clara is in possession of gold medals from the IPF Junior & Sub-Junior World Championships, as well as multiple Junior & Sub-Junior European Championships.
Clara Peyraud is adapting to the Open age class, despite still having some time left among the Juniors. So, it is currently not clear in which direction Clara plans to continue, but her record-breaking performances show that she will achieve a lot more in the future as well.
If you have questions or need clarifications, please leave a comment below, and Vedad will respond promptly.
Vedad is a journalist specializing in strength sports, with three years of experience covering powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, strongman, armwrestling and bodybuilding. He is a lifelong fitness enthusiast, passionate about all aspects of strength training. Vedad's in-depth knowledge of training methodologies and dedication to constant research fuel his insightful and engaging reporting. He works hard to deliver accurate content while continuously seeking to improve his craft.
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