Russel Orhii returned to the competition floor for the 2025 NAPF North American Regional Powerlifting Championships on July 26 – August 2 in the Cayman Islands. During his preparation for the show, Russel decided to move up a weight class and ended up competing in the 93-kilogram division. This worked out well for him, as he locked out some massive lifts and set new Raw Squat and Total IPF World Records.
Russel Orhii’s Full Performance Breakdown
Russel Orhii came into the competition with a bodyweight of 91.8 kilograms (202.4 pounds), which shows that he is allowed to pack on even more muscle onto his body. He also had a perfect showing on the day, successfully completing all nine of his attempts. This resulted in new world records, as well as a gold medal from one of the most prestigious competitions of the season.
Squat
Russel Orhii opened the squat sessions with a smooth 322.5-kilogram (711-pound) lift. He did not want to waste any time and decided to go for the World Record on his second attempt already. In order to do so, Russel loaded 343 kilograms (756.2 pounds) on the barbell, making it look like easy work once again.
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With one attempt left, Russel Orhii made a bold decision to jump up to 355.5 kilograms (783.7 pounds). He came back out to the stage with a lifting belt and a pair of knee sleeves, ready to crush his competition PR by over 15 kilograms (33.1 pounds). After unracking the bar, Russel dropped down quickly, making no unnecessary movements that could take away from his strength and energy. He then started ascending slowly, pushing through the sticking point and locking out the lift for a new World Record.
- 322.5 kilograms (711.0 pounds)
- 343 kilograms (756.2 pounds)
- 355.5 kilograms (783.7 pounds) — U93KG IPF World Record & Competition PR
*Gavin Adin held the previous U93KG IPF Raw Squat World Record of 341-kg (751.8-lb). He set the record at the 2024 NAPF 21st Annual North American Powerlifting Championships.
Bench
Russel Orhii’s performance on the bench press was also exceptional, as he set a new competition PR. After successfully completing all three attempts, his heaviest lift came out to 210 kilograms (463 pounds), marking a 7.5-kilogram (16.5-pound) improvement and a massive step toward a new Total World Record.
- 197.5 kilograms (435.4 pounds)
- 207.5 kilograms (457.5 pounds)
- 210 kilograms (463.0 pounds) — Competition PR
Deadlift
Following the trend, Russel Orhii also achieved his heaviest ever in-competition deadlift. He first made an improvement with a 355-kilogram (782.6-pound) pull but still needed a bit more if he wanted to set the total record. So, he added 5 kilograms (11 pounds) to the barbell for his final lift of the day. Orhii used a conventional stance and a mixed grip to complete the lift, thus officially exceeding the Total World Record.
- 330 kilograms (727.5 pounds)
- 355 kilograms (782.6 pounds)
- 360 kilograms (793.7 pounds) — Competition PR
Total — 918 kilograms (2023.8 pounds) — U93KG IPF World Record & Competition PR
*Emil Krastev held the previous U93KG IPF Raw Total World Record of 917.5-kg (2,022.7–lb). He set the record at the 2025 IPF Sheffield Powerlifting Championships.
Watch all of Russel Orhii’s lifts here:
Related: Powerlifter Russel Orhii Sets 215-kg (474-lb) Raw Bench Press PR in Training
Russel Orhii now has 23 sanctioned powerlifting appearances under his belt, along with an impressive score of 20 victories. More importantly, Russel has proved that he is capable of being a fierce competitor in the 93-kilogram weight class. Furthermore, he might even be one of the favorites for the IPF World Championships next year. So, Russel will clearly continue being one of the most notable figures in the powerlifting space.
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