A Junior athlete felled another Open world record. Tuan-Hien Tran of Canada competed in the Junior 66-kilogram class (ages 19-23) at the 2023 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Junior Powerlifting Championships (WJPC) in Cluj Napoca, Romania, on Aug. 29, 2023.
Tran has only been powerlifting for a couple of years but has made incredible progress in that time. This was his first international contest, and he broke the IPF Junior world record in the deadlift at 288 kilograms (635 pounds) on his second attempt and then took the Open world record with 307.5 kilograms (678 pounds) on his final lift. See the new IPF wo below, courtesy of the IPF Instagram page:
For the Open world record raw deadlift, Tran set up with a wide sumo stance, with his hands in such a narrow grip that they were almost entirely inside the barbell‘s knurling. He used a double overhand hook grip and didn’t seem to have any problems keeping hold of the smooth part of the bar.
Tran’s face showed the effort at the top of the pull but held on, waiting for the judge’s down command before returning the bar to the platform and leaping in triumph.
World Record Deadlift Battle
Tran secured the IPF raw deadlift world record in the midst of an intense deadlift battle. The favorite in class and Junior world champion, Kyle Nowak of the USA, dropped his deadlift attempt dramatically during warm-ups but then didn’t come out for his opening attempt, set at 185 kilograms (408 pounds). This raised speculation of possible injury.
Tran opened with 270 kilograms (595 pounds). He then successfully broke the Junior raw world record with 288 kilograms (635 pounds). Nowak came out for his second attempt — 302.5 kilograms (667 pounds) — two full kilograms (4.4 pounds) above the Open raw world record. A risky strategy but one that paid off, claiming the Junior and Open deadlift world records.
In the final round of deadlifts, Tran called for 307.5 kilograms (678 pounds). As it was a world record attempt, he could have taken back the record with 303 kilograms (668 pounds), but Tran was fighting on more than one front, and the extra few kilograms were enough to move him up from seventh to fourth place overall.
Nowak attempted to reclaim the record he had set moments before by loading 308 kilograms (679 pounds), but it sprang out of his hands at the top.
2023 IPF World Junior Powerlifting Championships Results — Tuan-Hien Tran (CAN), 66KG
- Squat
- 190 kilograms (419 pounds)
- 190 kilograms (419 pounds)
- 205 kilograms (452 pounds)
- Bench Press
- 112.5 kilograms (248 pounds)
- 120 kilograms (265 pounds)
- 120 kilograms (265 pounds)
- Deadlift
- 270 kilograms (595 pounds)
- 288 kilograms (635 pounds) — Junior IPF Equipped World Record
- 307.5 kilograms (678 pounds) — Open IPF Equipped World Record
- Total
- 632.5 kilograms (1394 pounds)
Early in his competitive powerlifting career, Tran is still in the Junior category for two more years. The previous IPF raw deadlift world record was Brian Le’s 300.5 kilograms. However, Le successfully locked out 318.5 kilograms at the 2023 AMP Classic National Championship, so the IPF world record is not infallible.
Tran will have plenty of opportunity to extend his record in the coming year to match Le’s national lift. The latest crop of 66-kilogram deadlifters in the IPF is packed with elite lifters who are looking to fight for the top spot.
Featured image: @theipf on Instagram
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