Equipped powerlifter Jimmy Kolb set a world record in powerlifting that will likely remain untouched for a long time. On Feb. 4, 2023, Kolb competed in the 2023 International Powerlifting Association’s (IPA) Hillbilly Havoc meet in Hurricane, WV. He bench pressed 612.5 kilograms (1,350 pounds) with a bench press shirt, which assists the lifter in pressing the weight off their chest. The type of shirt he wore wasn’t established, but he competed in the “unlimited” category of the meet.
Kolb weighed in for the meet at 147.8 kilograms (326 pounds). The 32-year-old’s bench press is not only a world record, but it’s the first 600-kilogram single lift in any division of powerlifting. Kolb broke his previous world record bench press of 598.7 kilograms (1,320 pounds), scored on Feb. 26, 2022, at the 2022 IPA State Championships in York, PA. Check out the lift below in Kolb’s Instagram post after the meet:
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In the post, Kolb can be seen with several spotters. He lowered the bar to his chest and held it for four seconds before receiving the press command. It appeared Kolb struggled but managed to press the weight to lockout. He held it for at least three more seconds before the judge allowed him to rack it for a good lift. Kolb showed the camera his scorecard to verify the lift. He shared a simple opinion about his performance in the caption of the post:
Today was a good day.
The scorecard showed he missed his second attempt of 602.5 kilograms (1,328.5 pounds). He waived off his first attempt. The 612.5-kilogram attempt received three white lights from the judges in the Mountain State.
According to Open Powerlifting, Nathan Baptist was the closest athlete to the 600-kilogram mark in any lift when he squatted 594.7 kilograms (1,311.7 pounds) at the 2021 United Powerlifting Association’s (UPA) Utah Kickoff meet. With this new world record lift, Kolb is the first human ever to bench over 1,300 pounds twice in his career.
Featured Image: @kolbstrong on Instagram
