Emily Hu - Image credit @amithebenchbrah Instagram
Emily Hu is a well known name in powerlifting, as she has been on the scene for over a decade now. Nonetheless, she openly acknowledges that her preparation demands a much more delicate approach, considering her age of 41. Still, Emily has mastered powerlifting to its fullest and continues getting stronger and breaking records with ease. She displayed her abilities once again at the recent 2023 WRPF Siege of the Shore, which took place on July 23rd, in San Diego. As a part of her appearance at this meet, Emily has managed to lock out a 137.5-kilogram (303.1-pound) Bench Press for a new All-Time World Record.
With her victory in the raw 60-kilogram weight division, Emily Hu broke Jennifer Thompson’s previous U60KG Bench Press All-Time World Record. Obviously, Jen is an icon of powerlifting, so it is no surprise that it took another legendary lifter like Emily to break it. Jen’s U60KG World Record stood at 136.5 kilograms (300.9 pounds), which she set at the 2012 NAPF Raw Challenge.
Emily Hu opened up her bench press session with a comfortable 125-kilogram (275.6-pound) lift. She then jumped up to 132.5 kilograms (292.1 pounds) and found success again. She then had one chance to set a 137.5-kilogram (303.1-pound) Bench Press World Record and seized it with ease.
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Emily Hu’s Full Performance
Emily Hu weighed in at exactly 59.1 kilograms (130.3 pounds) for her appearance at the 2023 WRPF Siege of the Shore. She then put up an almost perfect performance, only missing one deadlift attempt. She failed to set new competition PRs in everything apart from the bench press, but the World Record was her main goal.
Squat
130 kilograms (286.6 pounds)
142.5 kilograms (314.1 pounds)
150 kilograms (330.7 pounds)
Bench Press
125 kilograms (275.6 pounds)
132.5 kilograms (292.1 pounds)
137.5 kilograms (303.1 pounds) — U60KG All-Time World Record
Data Source: Open Powerlifting. Last Updated: August 17, 2023
During her 11-year-long powerlifting career, Emily Hu has taken part in 29 sanctioned powerlifting competitions. Often being the best athlete in the roster, Emily has won 20 competitions. Moreover, she has revealed that her recent bench press marks the fourth time that she has set an All-Time World Record, which is another mind-blowing statistic.
Judging by the caption of Emily Hu’s Instagram post, she has been chasing this World Record for multiple years now. She has had to sacrifice a lot to achieve it, but now she “can enjoy life in the 300 club”. As for her future plans, Emily has kept them under wraps for now. Alongside her fitness pursuits, she has been busy with other aspects of her life. In addition to maintaining her own impressive physique, she has also authored a book to help others achieve their fitness goals.
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.