Georgian super heavyweight Temur Samkharadze is making 2024 his victory lap in his final year as a Junior powerlifter. He swept the board of Junior world records at the 2024 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Classic World Championships (CWC) in Druskininkai, Lithuania. Still, Samkharadze missed an attempt at an Open deadlift world record. At the 2024 Euro Muscle Show (EMS) in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Samkharadze set a Open world record deadlift of 410.5 kilograms.
The EMS came only three weeks after Samkharadze’s record-breaking performance in Lithuania, and this really showed on squats. His 420-kilogram second attempt was much tougher than expected, and, upon leaving the platform, he seemed to signal to his coach to add only 2.5 kilograms. Nevertheless, when the scoresheet was updated, a Junior world record attempt of 431 kilograms was on the board.
Samkharadze made a great effort with the squat but only got it halfway up. Undaunted, he took another Junior world record attempt, this time on his second bench press. Take a look at this huge bench press, courtesy of the IPF’s Instagram page:
Samkharadze made the press using a lifting belt but no wrist wraps. He sunk into the chest at the bottom of the press. This is entirely within the rules as long as he doesn’t sink any further once he has received the press command from the center referee.
A further record attempt at 262.5 kilograms for Samkharadze’s final bench press was unsuccessful. Samkharadze opened relatively light on deadlifts and then took big jumps to to an Open world record attempt of 410.5 kilograms on his last lift:
After a small bow to the referees, Samkharadze set up in a conventional stance and took the barbell in a mixed grip. Once he started to pull, the bar traveled to lock out in one smooth movement, with no sign of a sticking point. Three white lights shone out over the platform, and he dropped to his knees and bellowed his victory at the packed crowd.
The Open deadlift world record previously belonged to Jesus Olivares, the dominant force in the super heavyweight class. Samkharadze might not challenge Olivares on squats or bench presses yet, but the young Georgian lifter has laid down the marker on deadlifts.
2024 IPF Euro Muscle Show Results — Temur Samkharadze (Georgia), 120+KG
- Squat
- 400 kilograms
- 420 kilograms
431 kilograms
- Bench Press
- 240 kilograms
- 256 kilograms — IPF Junior World Record
262.5 kilograms
- Deadlift
- 370 kilograms
- 395 kilograms
- 410.5 kilograms — IPF Open World Record
- Total — 1086.5 kilograms
There won’t be much rest for Samkharadze. He is on the roster for the 2024 IPF World Junior Championships in Malta in August and intends to make his final onslaught on the Junior world records. Perhaps some Open records, too.
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Featured image: @theipf on Instagram
