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...
The 2023 IPF Equipped World Championships took place on November 13-19, in Vilnius, Lithuania, and featured dozens of athletes in each weight class. So, we witnessed some dominant performances from certain athletes, but also tight-knit battles for the reign in other weight classes. The greatest duel of the competition took place in the 120-kilogram weight class, especially in the squat event. In the end, Sen Yang was the one who came out on top. He managed to squat 452.5 kilograms (997.6 pounds), which made for a new IPF Equipped World Record.
As soon as the competition started, it was clear that Sen Yang came in stronger than ever. Sen, following a light opener, fired the first shot with a huge 447.5-kilogram (986.6-pound) squat on his second attempt. This already turned out to be heavier than the previous IPF World Record.
However, out of nowhere, the newest addition to the 120-kilogram weight class, Danylo Kovalov, managed to squat half a kilogram (1.1 pounds) more than Sen Yang. So with just one attempt left, Sen had to lift even more weight in order to take the record back. He put on his single-ply suit, a pair of knee wraps, and a lifting belt. Then, instead of lifting slightly over the Ukrainian athlete’s number, Sen decided to assert his dominance and loaded 452.5 kilograms (997.6 pounds) on the bar. With all eyes on him, Sen seemingly felt even more inspired and set a new, improved IPF Equipped World Record with surprising ease.
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Seb Yang had an amazing performance throughout the competition, but still could not top the podium. He did, however, take the silver medal home, as he was only beaten by Oleksii Bychkov. Sen had only missed one of his nine attempts, which turned out to be his final deadlift. This is the second year in a row that Sen finished in second place at the IPF World Championships.
Squat
430 kilograms — (948 pounds)
447.5 kilograms — (986.6 pounds)
452.5 kilograms — (997.6 pounds) — U120KG IPF Equipped World Record
Sen Yang came close to winning the IPF World Championships title on multiple occasions throughout his career, but has not yet succeeded. However, he is getting closer with each new appearance, with the squat World Record improving as well. Overall, Sen Yang has taken part in 24 sanctioned powerlifting competitions and won nine of them. This number will keep going up in the future as Sen follows his goal of becoming the World Champion.
If you have any questions or need further clarification about this news, please leave a comment below, and Vedad will get back to you as soon as possible.
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.
