American powerlifter Jessica Espinal had a perfect day at the 2024 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Junior World Championships (JWC) in Malta.
- Espinal was the silver medalist at the 2023 and 2024 IPF Classic World Championships; this was her JWC debut.
Espinal broke the Junior deadlift world record twice. First, she took 178 kilograms for an easy extension to the record that she already owned. For her final lift, she pushed it to 186 kilograms — enough to break the Open total world record in the 47-kilogram class.
Take a look at the outstanding deadlift that rounded off Espinal’s perfect nine-for-nine performance, courtesy of the IPF’s Instagram page:
Espinal carefully set up her sumo stance and took the barbell in a mixed grip, with one hand pronated and the other supinated. The weight moved smoothly to lockout and Espinal claimed her second and third world records of the day.
- The 47-kilogram class in the IPF has been dominated by France’s Tiffany Chapon since Chapon burst onto the international powerlifting scene at the 2021 CWC. Chapon has remained unbeaten at the world and European levels ever since. However, Espinal’s 433.5 kilogram total achieved in Malta eclipses Chapon’s best performance by half a kilogram.
Espinal is the third person to own the total world record in the 47-kilogram class. Famed Taiwanese lifter Wei-Ling Chen held it from 2012, when the IPF re-set their weight classes and, consequently, the records. Chen broke the total record six times in three years, and it then stood inviolate until the 2022 CWC in Sun City, South Africa, when Chapon claimed it for the first time.
Chapon has broken the total world record seven times in the intervening period. It is now in Espinal’s hands and on its way to the United States for the first time.
2024 IPF Junior World Championships Results | Jessica Espinal (47KG)
- Squat
- 135 kilograms
- 142.5 kilograms
- 150 kilograms
- Bench Press
- 87.5 kilograms
- 92.5 kilograms
- 97.5 kilograms
- Deadlift
- 167.5 kilograms
- 178 kilograms — IPF Classic Junior World Record
- 186 kilograms — IPF Classic Junior World Record
- Total — 433.5 kilograms — IPF Classic Junior and Open World Record
Espinal’s performance at this event sets up high expectations for a re-match between her and Chapon. This will likely occur at the 2025 CWC in Chemnitz, Germany. The score is currently 2-0 in Chapon’s favor, but it seems that Espinal is in the ascendant and may bring a challenge in 2025 that Chapon could struggle to answer.
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Featured image: @theipf on Instagram
