John Laflamme - Image credit @johnlaflamme83kg Instagram
John LaFlamme is an inspiration to many powerlifting fans around the world since he constantly shows that it is possible to achieve anything in life, regardless of age. He is now 72 years old, but that does not stop him from pursuing his passion, which is breaking records in powerlifting. John once again succeeded in this goal just a few days ago, as he set a new U83KG Masters 4 (+70 Years Old) IPF Squat World Record of 193.5 kilograms (426.6 pounds).
John LaFlamme took part in the 2023 NAPF North American Championships, which took place on August 7-12, in the Cayman Islands. During the second day of the competition, John LaFlamme surprised everyone with an exceptional performance on his very first event. He breezed through the first two squat attempts, then moved on to the third one. On the third attempt, John successfully lifted 193.5 kilograms (426.6 pounds) wearing only a lifting belt and knee sleeves. So, this lift ended up becoming the new U83KG Raw IPF World Record.
John LaFlamme also held the previous World Record of 193 kilograms (425.5 pounds), which he set at the 2021 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships. So, he has raised the bar even higher, making it seem like his record won’t be broken for a very long time to come.
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John LaFlamme’s Full Performance
John LaFlamme had a perfect outing at the 2023 NAPF North American Championships, managing to not miss any of his nine attempts. Moreover, he displayed improvement in the deadlift and total events as well, proving that there is still much more to come from him.
Squat
175 kilograms (385.8 pounds)
185 kilograms (407.9 pounds)
193.5 kilograms (426.6 pounds) — U83KG Masters 4 IPF Raw World Record
“Squat warmups felt unexpectedly strong. First attempt was tentative. The 2nd attempt felt good. Third attempt also felt stronger than expected” wrote LaFlamme.
Bench Press
90 kilograms (198.4 pounds)
97.5 kilograms (215 pounds)
102.5 kilograms (226 pounds)
“Bench Press continued its arthritic slide” wrote LaFlamme.
Deadlift
200 kilograms (440.9 pounds)
220 kilograms (485 pounds)
231 kilograms (509.3 pounds)
Total — 527 kilograms (1,161.8 pounds)
“Deadlift and Total continue their slow but steady improvement” wrote LaFlamme.
Data Source: Open Powerlifting. Last Updated: August 17, 2023
This was John LaFlamme’s 53rd-sanctioned appearance, with his first one being all the way back in 1978. In 1984, he took a break from the sport, but returned to competition in 2013. Ever since coming back, John has consistently been improving and setting World Record, and is now a very well-known name in the community.
Although LaFlamme hasn’t disclosed his plans for the future, his current record-breaking actions suggest we will be seeing a lot more of him in the big competitions.
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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