French powerlifter Jade Jacob is the highest-ranked raw female in the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) who hasn’t yet won an Open world title. She was the IPF Junior World Champion in 2021. She has been lifting in the Open class ever since despite still being a Junior athlete in 2024.
At the 2022 IPF Classic World Championships (CWC), Jacob compelled reigning world champion Joy Nnamani to pull a second world record deadlift on the day to beat Jacob by half a kilo (one pound). Jacob’s deadlift has increased rapidly since that contest.
At the 2023 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships (2023 Sheffield), Jacob broke the IPF raw deadlift world record in the 57-kilogram class, setting it to an impressive 231 kilograms (509 pounds). Jacob seems on track to break that record again, as evidenced by a training update shared to her Instagram page on Jan. 22, 2024, wherein she locked out a 225-kilogram raw deadlift double (i.e. lifted two reps in the same set). Check it out below:
In the video, Jacob leads with a PR deadlift set of 225 kilograms (496 pounds). As is typical with sumo deadlifts, the barbell was slow to break from the floor, even on the first repetition. However, once the weight left the platform, it moved to lockout smoothly. The second rep did not appear more difficult than the first; Jacob may be well set to extend her world record soon.
The video continued with a smooth 185-kilogram (408-pound) squat. The current IPF world record at 57 kilograms is 185.5 kilograms (409 pounds) by the UK’s Bobbie Butters. Jacob attempted to eclipse that record at the 2023 Sheffield but was unsuccessful. However, Jacob squatted 186 kilograms (410 pounds) at the Girl Power Tournament in France in October 2023, so the record is now within her range.
The third clip shows Jacob bench pressing 102.5 kilograms (226 pounds) for a training total of 512.5 kilograms (1130 pounds), which matches Natalie Richards’ current total world record. Caution is required. However, all three of Jacob’s lifts may not have been part of the same training session, and, of course, big deadlifts are easier if the athlete did not perform a heavy squat shortly beforehand.
Jacob’s squat appeared easy, as did her deadlift double. She seems well-placed to mount a challenge to the raw total record.
Jacob will meet Richards on the platform again at the 2024 Sheffield, a big money meet held in Sheffield, UK, on Feb. 10, 2024. Catch all the action live on SBD Apparel’s YouTube channel.
Featured image: @jade.jacobb on Instagram
