Pleun Dekkers has made her seventh appearance at the 2025 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships on June 9th in Chemnitz, Germany. She competed in the 52-kilogram weight class once again and added another podium finish to her resume. However, the highlight of Pleun’s weekend was her 178-kilogram (392.4-pound) Raw Squat, which turned out to be a new U52KG IPF World Record.
Pleun Dekkers opened up with a huge 170-kilogram (374.8-pound) squat, which was not far behind the record itself. However, she made easy work out of it, making it clear that she would be going for an unbelievable squat in her remaining attempts.
So, with her second attempt of 176 kilograms (388 pounds), Pleun Dekkers already exceeded the U52KG Raw Squat World Record. While it did look heavy, it was clear that there was even more room for improvement, as Pleun’s power and technique were more than adequate to take on the challenge. As a result, she locked out a 178-kilogram (392.4-pound) raw squat on her final attempt and advanced the record even further.
*Pleun Dekkers also held the previous U52KG IPF World Record of 175.5-kg (386.9-lb). She set that record at the 2024 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships.
Watch the lift here:
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Pleun Dekkers’ Full Performance
Pleun Dekkers had her best performance yet at the 2025 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships. She hit personal records in the bench press, deadlift, and total, and also set a new Squat World Record.
Pleun went a perfect 9-for-9 on her lifts, showing great strategy and control throughout the meet. Her strong showing earned her another bronze medal, as she held the same position at last year’s edition of the competition.
Squat
- 170 kilograms (374.8 pounds)
- 176 kilograms (388 pounds)
- 178 kilograms (392.4 pounds) — U52KG IPF World Record
Bench Press
- 85 kilograms (187.4 pounds)
- 90 kilograms (190.4 pounds)
- 92.5 kilograms (203.9 pounds) — Competition PR
Deadlift
- 170.5 kilograms (375.9 pounds)
- 177.5 kilograms (391.3 pounds)
- 182.5 kilograms (402.3 pounds) — Competition PR
Total — 453 kilograms (998.7 pounds) — Competition PR
Pleun Dekkers has been dedicated to powerlifting for eight years and continues to grow in the sport. She took part in 24 sanctioned powerlifting competitions, coming out victorious on 12 occasions, including the 2023 and 2025 EPF European Powerlifting Championships. She is still chasing her first IPF World Championships title, which is definitely not out of reach considering that she has stood on the podium three times already. So, there is no doubt that there is still a lot to come from Pleun in the coming years.
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