Powerlifter Dave Richardson Suffers Gruesome Full Arm Fracture While Performing a Heavy Bench Press

The 2025 competition season has already ended for Dave Richardson, as the elite powerlifter suffered a severe injury during one of his most recent training sessions. Richardson, who is one of the greatest powerlifters in the history of Britain’s powerlifting, injured himself while performing a heavy bench press. The incident was quite unusual, as everything seemed to be going well.

Dave Richardson didn’t disclose the exact weight he was bench pressing during his training session, but a close look at the plates visible in the video suggests he was handling 220 kilograms (486 pounds). While this is a load he’s accustomed to lifting, it tragically led to an unexpected mishap this time.

As he began the lift, Dave carefully lowered the barbell to his chest, pausing briefly before initiating the upward press. Almost instantly, his right arm buckled under the strain. It later became clear that he had suffered a complete fracture, likely of the humerus—the bone in the upper arm that connects the shoulder to the elbow.

“2025 is over before it’s begun competition wise for me.
Full clean fracture of the right arm.
To everyone who has and will help me on this road to recovery – thank you.
See you all soon.”

Check out Dave Richardson’s injury here:

Note: The video of Dave Richardson’s injury is on the third slide of his Instagram post. It contains graphic footage of injuries, meaning that viewer discretion is advised.

Related: Powerlifter Escapes Serious Injury In Failed Bench Press, Larry Wheels Spots Him

Dave Richardson’s injury seems to be very severe, which could result in multiple months of recovery. However, there is no doubt that Dave will come back stronger than ever, ready to achieve some more impressive feats of strength. However, this serves as a reminder that powerlifting can carry some risk of injury, even for the athletes who are competing at the highest level.

In fact, another gruesome incident took place in the powerlifting community just a couple of days ago. Specifically, a 17-year-old lifter from India unfortunately lost her life while attempting a 595-pound (270-kilogram) squat in training. She ended up losing her balance and falling backwards. The barbell, however, fell on her neck, which resulted in her tragic passing.

Dave Richardson’s Powerlifting Career Overview

Dave Richardson has a very rich and fulfilling powerlifting background, having been competing in the sport for eight years. During that period, Dave made 17 sanctioned powerlifting appearances, winning 11 of those. His most prolific victory came at the 2024 ABS Clash of Titans 2, where he deadlifted 432.5 kilograms (953.5 pounds) to take the gold medal. He was hoping to add some more titles in 2025, but the injury has now delayed his goals.

Raw Competition PRs

• Squat: 380 kilograms (837.7 pounds) — [2024 ABS Series Reach Rumble]
• Bench Press: 250 kilograms (551.1 pounds) — [2024 BPU Nottingham Strong Qualifier VII]
• Deadlift: 438 kilograms (965.6 pounds) — [2024 WRPF-UK Pro Showdown]
• Total: 1,030 kilograms (2,270.7 pounds) — [2024 ABS Series Reach Rumble]

Related: Video: Hafthor Bjornsson Tears His Pec During 252.5-kg (556.7-lb) Bench Press Attempt

Dave Richardson’s arm break is one of the toughest moments in his long career so far. But there’s no question his amazing strength will help him heal well. The powerlifting world can’t wait to see him back in action, and he’s sure to win big again when he returns. 

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