Over the last week, the 10th Annual USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals took place in Orlando, Florida. This competition brings together the best raw powerlifters from all 50 states. Multiple records were broken this year by some of powerlifting’s best, including Kimberly Walford, Jennifer Millican, Yangsu Ren, along with many more.
Legendary 84kg+ female athlete Bonica Lough was responsible for knocking down two American records and hitting three unofficial world records. Lough came into Raw Nationals with the highest total for her weight class at a staggering 647.5kg (1,424 lb), which she set at this year’s Arnold. Additionally, Lough is the current holder of the IPF World Record total for the 84kg+ weight class.
Lough began her great day with three successful squats. She opened with 252.5kg (555.5 lbs), then hit 265kg (583 lbs). For her third attempt, Lough called for 273kg (601 lbs), which falls just short of Danny Sullivan’s American record, but is an unofficial world record. Check out her epic 600+lb squat below.
This squat earns Lough a spot at the very elite female in-competition 600lb+ squat club, an accolade very few female athletes ever achieve. Lough’s squat – while not an official world record – barely surpasses her current 272.5kg IPF World Record.
On top of her monster squat, Lough also set a new American and unofficial world record for her bench press. After opening with a successful 137.5kg (302.5 lb), then hitting a 145kg (319 lb) bench, Lough called for 151.5kg (333 lbs). This lift surpasses her current IPF world record by a mere .5kg.
Lough finished her epic day with two successful deadlifts at 215kg (473 lb) and 227.5kg (500 lbs). Unfortunately, she missed her third 241kg attempt, which would have also knocked down the American and unofficial world record.
Yet, all was not lost, as Lough ended with a 652kg (1,434 lb) total, which also earned her an unofficial world record.
Feature image screenshot from @bigredmanny Instagram page.