At 20-years-old, Liam Newell has already built quite a reputation for himself. He is often recognized for his deadlift prowess, which never ceases to amaze everyone. Speaking of which, Liam displayed his abilities at the 2023 WRPF American Pro 2, which took place on October 27-29, in Manassas, VA. So, competing at one of the biggest stages, Liam was also motivated to put up one of the heaviest Junior deadlifts in history. His heaviest attempt came out to 402.5 kilograms (887.4 pounds), which marked a new U90KG Junior Raw Deadlift All-Time World Record.
Liam Newell first deadlifted 355 kilograms (782.6 pounds) to secure the victory in the Junior raw 90-kilogram weight class. The first attempt proved to be very light for Liam, so he decided to jump up to 385 kilograms (848.8 pounds) for the second attempt. As suspected, Liam crushed his second attempt as well, leaving people wondering just how much weight he can pull off the floor.
It was soon announced that Liam Newell’s third attempt would weigh 402.5 kilograms (887.4 pounds). Shortly after, Liam walked out with a determined look on his face and just a lifting belt on his waist. He took some time to set up his sumo stance, grabbed the bar with a hook grip, and began pulling. The barbell started bending under the humongous weight, but Liam still managed to reach full lockout.
The previous U90KG Junior All-Time World Record was in possession of Cailer Woolam, who locked out 400 kilograms (881.8 pounds) at the 2017 USPA Corpus Christi Open. So, Liam Newell became just the second Junior powerlifter in the 90-kilogram weight class to deadlift 400 kilograms (881.8 pounds) or more in a competition.
Watch the lift here:
Liam Newell’s deadlift is on the second slide of the post.
Liam Newell weighed in at just 0.2 kilograms (0.4 pounds) less than the 90-kilogram limit, meaning that his cut was executed perfectly. His performance was very solid as well, but he did miss two of his attempts, one squat and one bench press. Nonetheless, Liam still managed to set new competition PRs in all events.
Squat
Unsuccessful — 245 kilograms (540 pounds)
260 kilograms (573.2 pounds)
275 kilograms (606.3 pounds) — Competition PR
Bench Press
142.5 kilograms (314.3 pounds)
150 kilograms (330.7 pounds) — Competition PR
Unsuccessful — 157.5 kilograms (347.2 pounds)
Deadlift
355 kilograms (782.6 pounds)
385 kilograms (848.8 pounds)
402.5 kilograms (887.4 pounds) — U90KG Junior All-Time World Record
Total — 827.5 kilograms (1,824.3 pounds) — Competition PR
Data Source: Open Powerlifting. Last Updated: August 17, 2023
Liam Newell has taken part in nine sanctioned powerlifting competitions and won seven of them. He achieved this in just over two years of competing. Liam clearly possesses a lot of talent and potential, especially in the deadlift event. His body will still continue developing for many more years. So, it would not be surprising if Liam becomes a contender for the 500-kilogram (1,102.3-pound) deadlift.
This news is written by Vedad Tabakovic, a journalist with three years of experience in covering Strength Sports. He aims to deliver accurate and engaging content.
If you have questions or need clarifications, please leave a comment below, and Vedad will respond promptly.
Vedad is a lifelong fitness enthusiast, who is especially passionate about all things Strength related. Vedad loves to write about strength sports just as much as he likes to train. Worked hard to gain his knowledge, but is still in a constant chase for improvement.