For the first time, the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) will hold a money meeting at the heart of a fitness expo exclusively for junior lifters. The Euro Muscle Show will be held on Jul. 13-14, 2024, at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The event will feature classic bench press only and classic powerlifting and is open to competitors who have not yet passed out of the junior category (up to 23 years old). Sub-Juniors (under 18) can lift, but they will lift alongside the Juniors and not have their own category.
Each day will begin with a bench press-only session, followed by a full power session in the afternoon. This event has a full international sanction, so world records are expected to fall. Prize money is also being offered in the following amounts for both men and women:
Full Power
- First — €3,000
- Second — €2,000
- Third — €1,000
Bench Press Only
- First — €2,000
- Second — €1,000
- Third — €500
[Related: Alexis Jones (+84KG) Breaks the IPF Bench Press World Record with 167 Kilograms]
Athletes To Watch
Below are three of the elite athletes to pay attention to on the lifting platform:
Agata Sitko
Agata Sitko is having a phenomenal 2024. She began the year by dropping into the 69KG class to win the 2024 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships, picking up a £40,000 prize purse. She went on to take the gold medal in the classic powerlifting element of the UK Arnold, winning another 3,000 Euros.
Less than a month ago, Sitko won her first classic open world title at the 2024 Classic World Championships in Druskininkai, Lithuania, qualifying for the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, and the 2025 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships in the UK.
It’s been a busy year already, but at the Euro Muscle Show, Sitko is on the roster for both the bench press-only and full power contests. This could potentially net her another 5,000 Euros in prize money.
Temur Samkharadze
Georgian super heavyweight powerlifter Temur Samkharadze is another young lifter who has made a name for himself in the open class. He was the open European champion in 2023 and 2024 and the 2023 Junior world champion.
Samkharadze recently competed at the 2024 IPF CWC in Lithuania. He took the silver medal and set a new Junior world record in every discipline. He ranks in the top five in the IPF for squat and the top three for total.
Betty Aborah
Betty Aborah will be lifting on home turf at the Euro Muscle Show. She took sixth place at the 2023 IPF Junior World Championships but has come a long way since then. Her deadlift, in particular, has grown at a phenomenal rate.
Aborah has deadlifted 228 kilograms in competition and as much as 240 kilograms in training. The junior deadlift world record in the 63KG class is currently 216 kilograms, and the open world record is 231.5 kilograms so that Aborah may launch an assault on the record books at the Euro Muscle Show.
Full Livestream Schedule
Author’s Note: All times are CET. The schedule is subject to change. All sessions will be available for free on the IPF’s YouTube channel.
Saturday, July 13th
- Bench Press — Junior women — 10:30 a.m.
- Powerlifting – Junior men — 12.00 p.m.
Sunday, July 14th
- Bench Press — Junior men — 10:30 a.m.
- Powerlifting — Junior women — 12.00 p.m.
The full roster with nominated totals is available on Goodlift (http://goodlift.info/live.php). Watch live on the IPF YouTube channel.
Featured Image: @theipf on Instagram
