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...
The 2023 EPF European Open Classic Powerlifting Championships are taking place from December 4-9, in Tartu, Estonia. So, only one day of the competition passed, but World Records were already being broken. In fact, Kjell Egil Bakkelund from Norway managed to set two new ones, the first in the deadlift event and the second in the Total. He set the two IPF World Records in the 74-kilogram weight class, which he also ended up winning and becoming the 2023 European Champion.
Kjell Egil Bakkelund had an amazing performance on the first two events, but the show fired up when he came out for the deadlifts. His first and second attempts weighed 310 kilograms (683.4 pounds) and 322.5 kilograms (711 pounds), respectively. Both moved at a decent pace and helped build up the hype for Kjell’s final attempt.
With 330 kilograms (727.5 pounds) loaded for his final deadlift attempt, Kjell Egil Bakkelund walked out on the stage with only a lifting belt and the determination to set a new record. He then planted his feet for a sumo stance and grabbed the bar with a mixed grip. At first, it seemed like Kjell had trouble separating the weight from the ground, but once it started moving, he did not struggle to reach lockout.
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Kjell Egil Bakkelund did not miss any of his nine attempts during the entire competition. Well, this perfect performance resulted in a Total IPF World Record. Another impressive fact is that Kjell beat the second-place finisher at the 2023 EPF European Championships by 97.5 kilograms (215 pounds) overall.
Squat
245 kilograms (540.1 pounds)
255 kilograms (562.2 pounds)
262.5 kilograms (578.7 pounds) — Competition PR
Bench Press
192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds)
202.5 kilograms (446.4 pounds)
207.5 kilograms (457.5 pounds) — Competition PR
Deadlift
310 kilograms (683.4 pounds)
322.5 kilograms (711 pounds)
330 kilograms (727.5 pounds) — U74KG IPF World Record
Total — 800 kilograms (1,763.7 pounds) — U74KG IPF World Record
*The previous U74KG IPF Total World Record was in possession of Taylor Atwood, standing at 790.5-kg (1,742.8-lb) from the 2019 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships.
Data source: OpenPowerlifting. Data through July 19, 2026.
Kjell Egil Bakkelund has taken part in over 65 sanctioned powerlifting contests during his 15+ years of competing. He has won countless titles in both raw and equipped championships, since he is equally dedicated to both divisions. However, Kjell has never had a performance as great as his most recent one at the EPF European Championships, having crushed his competition PRs and set two World Records.
The only IPF World Records that Kjell Egil Bakkelund currently does not have are the squat and bench press. However, he has gotten close to them as well, and he might pursue those records in future competitions.
If you have any questions or need further clarification about this news, please leave a comment below, and Vedad will get back to you as soon as possible.
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.
