Malik Bernoussi Triolet - Image credit @theipf Instagram
Malik Bernoussi Triolet has been one of the greatest powerlifters in the sub-junior division that the powerlifting world has ever seen. So, as he got older, the time came for him to jump up to the Junior age class. His first year as a Junior has been nothing short of spectacular, but it just got even better following his recent appearance. Malik competed in the 2023 EPF European Juniors and Sub-Juniors Classic Powerlifting Championships, which took place on October 10-17, in Budapest, Hungary. Seeing how the bench press is his greatest lift, when that portion of the competition started, all eyes were pointed towards him. Malik did not disappoint, having set a brand new 221-kilogram (487.2-pound) Raw Bench Press U93KG IPF Junior World Record.
Malik Bernoussi Triolet opened up his competition exceptionally well, first claiming a new competition PR on the squats, thus setting himself up for the remainder of the competition.
Moving on to the bench press, Malik opened up with a bench press of 205 kilograms (468.5 pounds), which was already a mind-blowing weight. He then jumped up to 215.5 kilograms (479.5 pounds) for his second attempt, where it was clear that he was gunning for a new record.
Finally, Malik Bernoussi Triolet bench pressed 221 kilograms (487.2 pounds) on his third attempt without too much struggle. He did not use any equipment apart from the wrist wraps, thus displaying a feat of pure power.
While he did put up incredible performances on the squat and bench press, tragedy struck Malik Bernoussi Triolet on deadlifts, as he missed his second and third attempts. Thus, he went from being the dominant leader of the group to a fourth-place finisher in the 93-kilogram weight class. If he had successfully locked out either of his two unsuccessful deadlift attempts, Malik would have been crowned the EPF European Junior Champion.
Flashback to September and the 2023 IPF Junior World Championships, Malik Bernoussi Triolet missed two of his final deadlifts as well. So, the same deadlift mistakes have cost him two of the most prestigious titles in a very short time period. Malik is not at fault, though, as powerlifting frequently calls for athletes to take risks. Instead, Malik could take this as an opportunity to develop further and reduce the likelihood of a similar occurrence in the future.
Squat
280 kilograms (617.3 pounds)
290 kilograms (639.3 pounds)
295 kilograms (650.4 pounds) — Competition PR
Bench Press
212.5 kilograms (468.5 pounds)
217.5 kilograms (479.5 pounds)
221 kilograms (487.2 pounds) — U93KG IPF Junior World Record
Deadlift
290 kilograms (639.3 pounds)
Unsuccessful — 302.5 kilograms (666.9 pounds)
Unsuccessful — 305 kilograms (672.4 pounds)
Total — 806 kilograms (1,776.9 pounds)
Check out Malik’s close miss on the deadlifts:
Context: If the barbell did not slip from Malik Bernoussi Triolet’s hand, he would have most likely won the competition.
Data Source: Open Powerlifting. Last Updated: August 17, 2023
Malik Bernoussi Triolet has now taken part in 16 sanctioned powerlifting competitions and won six of them. He built an impressive legacy in the sub-junior division and is now looking to do the same among the Juniors as well. Setting a new IPF Junior Bench Press World Record is certainly a good start to his life in the new age class, since it is just a glimpse of what we will see from him in the upcoming few years.
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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.