Despite his many years in competitive powerlifting, Norway’s Kjell Bakkelund has been forging ahead in recent months. He hit a brilliant nine-for-nine performance at the European Powerlifting Federation (EPF) European Classic in Tartu, Estonia, in November 2023, breaking Taylor Atwood’s long-standing total world record along the way. It seems that was just the start.
Bakkelund competed on March 15, 2024, at the Arnold Sports Festival UK in Birmingham, England. He scored another perfect performance, reclaiming the raw deadlift world record that Tim Monigatti broke at the 2024 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships with 340 kilograms and extending the raw total world record to 815 kilograms. Take a look at Bakkelund’s outstanding performance below, courtesy of the IPF Instagram account:
Bakkelund hit a personal best squat of 270 kilograms and then a 205-kilogram bench press. The real prize came on the deadlift.
Entering the competition, Bakkelund’s best deadlift was 330 kilograms. With more than 15 years of competitive powerlifting under his belt, it would be understandable if progress slowed. But Bakkelund stunned the crowd, finding another 10 kilograms to add to his deadlift, making short work of 340 kilograms.
This gave Bakkelund a GL points score of 119.88, the highest score ever in IPF international competition.
2024 IPF Arnold Sports Festival Results — Kjell Bakkelund (Norway), 74KG
- Squat
- 252.5 kilograms
- 262.5 kilograms
- 270 kilograms
- Bench Press
- 192.5 kilograms
- 200 kilograms
- 205 kilograms
- Deadlift
- 312.5 kilograms
- 327.5 kilograms
- 340 kilograms — IPF Open World Record
- Total — 815 kilograms — IPF Open World Record
Bakkelund expects to lift next at the 2024 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Classic World Championships in Druskininkai, Lithuania. There, he will face an elite band of 74KG class powerlifters, including the incoming world champion, Sweden’s Carl Johansson, squat world record holder Tim Monigatti of New Zealand, and USA’s new challenger, Austin Perkins.
Perkins achieved a total of 839 kilograms at Powerlifting America Raw Nationals on March 14, 2024. In the IPF, world records can only be set at international competitions, so Perkins’ performance is an unofficial world record.
The 74KG class promises to be one of the most exciting battles of the 2024 World Championships and one not to miss.
Featured image: @theipf on Instagram
