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...
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Kjell Egil Bakkelund Deadlift And Total World Record - Image credit @theipf & @kjelllbrell Instagram
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Kjell Egil Bakkelund stepped on the competition platform for the first time in this season during the recent 2024 IPF Arnold UK, which took place on March 15-17, in Birmingham. He competed in his usual weight class of 74 kilograms and, as expected, came out victorious in the end. In addition to winning, Kjell also set new Raw Deadlift and Total IPF World Records.
Going into the competition, Kjell Egil Bakkelund did not know what to expect, but he knew that his squat should be good, since it felt decent for him throughout the preparation process. So, as he went through the attempts, Kjell managed to build up to a 270-kilogram (595.2-pound) squat, which was a new Competition PR for him. So, it was the best start to a competition that he has ever had.
However, as per the statement from his Instagram, Kjell Egil Bakkelund thought that the bench press would be a big problem for him, since it troubled him coming into the competition. In turn, he surprised himself when he managed to bench press 205 kilograms (451.9 pounds), just 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) under his Competition PR.
With everything going well in the first two events, Kjell Egil Bakkelund knew that he needed to use the momentum and perform great on the deadlifts. However, he did not just perform great, he put up one of the most impressive pulls that were ever seen in the sport. Kjell did so by deadlifting 340 kilograms (749.6 pounds) raw, which marked a new U74KG IPF World Record.
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*Timothy Monigatti held the former U74KG Raw Deadlift World Record of 331-kg (729.7-lb). He set it at the 2024 IPF Sheffield Powerlifting Championships.
Deadlift: 340 kilograms (749.6 pounds) — U74KG IPF World Record & Competition PR
With all of the events completed, Kjell Egil Bakkelund’s Total came out to 815 kilograms (1,796.8 pounds), which once again broke the U74KG IPF World Record, this time by a margin of 15 kilograms (33.1 pounds).
*Kjell Egil Bakkelund held the old U74KG IPF Raw Total World Record of 800 kilograms (1,763.7 pounds) as well, having set it at the 2023 EPF European Open Classic Powerlifting Championships.
Total: 815 kilograms (1,796.8 pounds) — U74KG IPF World Record & Competition PR
Data source: OpenPowerlifting. Data through July 25, 2026.
Kjell Egil Bakkelund is one of the most experienced powerlifters in the IPF, as he has been doing the sport since 2007. His longevity in powerlifting is quite remarkable, considering that he has been lifting tons of weight for nearly two full decades. During that time, Kjell has taken part in over 70 sanctioned powerlifting competitions and has won a large majority of them. Some of his wins include IPF World Championships, EPF European Championships, and many other prestigious meets.
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.
