Australian super heavyweight Natalie Laalaai entered the international powerlifting scene at the 2023 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Classic World Championships (CWC) in Malta. At that contest, she broke the deadlift world record twice: first with 258 kilograms and then again with 268 kilograms.
Laalaai returned to international competition at the 2024 CWC in Druskininkai, Lithuania, and she repeated the feat, breaking her world record on her second lift with 268.5 kilograms and following it with a brilliant 273-kilogram pull. Check out the lift below, courtesy of the IPF’s Instagram page:
Once Laalaai had set her mixed grip on the barbell, she began the pull immediately without an elaborate set-up ritual. The bar moved quickly from the floor, typical for a conventional stance deadlift, but it slowed considerably toward the top. Laalaai patiently pulled back into full lockout until she stood erect, with shoulders back and knees locked.
At the 2023 CWC in Malta, Laalaai broke the deadlift world record on her first attempt, lost it to Sonita Muluh, and then recovered the record on her second attempt. This pattern was repeated at the 2024 CWC in Lithuania.
Laalaai pulled an easy-looking 268.5 kilograms for her second attempt but saw the record go to the defending world champion, Canada’s Brittany Schlater, at 269.5 kilograms. Undeterred, Laalaai stepped to the platform and nailed a titanic 273-kilogram deadlift, ensuring she would take the record home again.
Before Laalaai competed internationally in 2023, the deadlift world record had stood at 257.5 kilograms since 2019. Over the course of 12 months and two competitions, Laalaai added an incredible 15.5 kilograms to that record.
2024 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championship Results — Natalie Laalaai (Australia), 84+KG
- Squat
- 242.5 kilograms
255 kilograms- 255 kilograms
- Bench Press
- 120 kilograms
- 125 kilograms
- 130 kilograms
- Deadlift
- 255 kilograms
- 268.5 kilograms — IPF Open World Record
- 273 kilograms — IPF Open World Record
- Total — 658 kilograms
Laalaai finished in sixth place overall. As recently as the 2022 CWC in Sun City, South Africa, Laalaai’s total would have been only 10 kilograms away from the gold medal. Between March 2023 and June 2024, the squat world record increased by 31 kilograms, and the total world record increased by 51 kilograms.
The progression in the Women’s +84KG class has been phenomenal. This is a golden age for the raw super heavyweight women’s category.
Featured image: @theipf on Instagram
