EPF Hall of Fame Powerlifter Phil Richard Passes Away at 52

A statement on Instagram from the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) has confirmed that Phil Richard, 52, has sadly passed away. Given how well-liked Richard was in the community, many people were shocked to learn of his death. In turn, only words of praise and grief come from everyone who met the accomplished powerlifter.

The cause of Phil Richard’s passing is unknown, but it definitely came as a surprise since he was still dominating the powerlifting scene. Moreover, as per his Instagram, Phil was regularly in the gym, but also often completed long walks, adding to his activity levels.

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Phil Richard’s Life & Career

Phil Richard started doing powerlifting extremely early in his life, making his debut in the early 1980s as a young teen athlete. His talent for the sport was clear from the start, as he won the Junior division in multiple competitions, including multiple IPF World, EPF European, and National Championships.

Phil Richard continued competing in the Open division and was recognized for his incredible longevity. Phil successfully competed in every consecutive year beginning in 1988, solidifying his position as a staple in the equipped division. Consequently, he won countless International and National titles, getting his hands on the gold medal in nearly every competition that he took part in. The peak of his career in the Open division came in 2009, when he won the EPF European Open Powerlifting Championships.

While many struggle as they get older, Phil Richard was only getting stronger, setting all of his equipped Competition PRs after turning 40+ years old. In turn, having lifted more weight, Phil also found more success, once again winning multiple IPF World, EPF European, and National Championships, but this time in the Masters division.

Phil Richard also managed to set a 290.5-kg (640.4-lb) Squat and 731-kg (1,611.6-lb) Total Equipped U74KG IPF Masters 2 World Records at the 2021 IPF Arnold UK. The records have remained intact for three years now and, judging by how impressive they are, will likely stand for a long time to come.

Hall of Fame

One of the most prestigious achievements that an athlete can get in any sport is getting inducted into the Hall of Fame. Well, Phil Richard’s incredible career was recognized by the European Powerlifting Federation (EPF) back in 2018, when he was officially made a member of the Hall of Fame.

Interestingly, only two athletes can be inducted into the EPF Hall of Fame each year. Moreover, less than 40 athletes have been made members so far, making Phil Richard one of a selected few.

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Phillip Richard’s Competition History