The premiere contest of the USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Pro Series — the 2021 Virginia Pro in Ashburn, VA — saw Natalie Richards emerge as the top female powerlifter and set two USAPL Junior records and a USAPL total record. However, she wasn’t alone in altering the record books. The 2021 USAPL Raw National champion of the 105-kilogram weight class, Ashton Rouska, emerged victorious in the Men’s division and set two USAPL records along the way.
Rouska set a new USAPL raw squat and total records en route to his gold medal. He went eight for nine in attempts, only missing his final deadlift attempt of 400.5 kilograms (883 pounds). Check out Rouska’s full stats from the 2021 Virginia Pro below:
2021 USAPL Pro Series Virginia Pro — Ashton Rouska | Bodyweight: 103.3 kilograms
- Squat — 325/355/367.5 kilograms (810.2 pounds) — USAPL Record
- Bench Press — 195/207.5/210 kilograms (463 pounds)
- Deadlift — 347.5/377.5 kilograms (832.3 pounds)/
400.5 - Total — 955 kilograms (2,105.4 pounds) — USAPL Record
Rouska’s new USAPL raw squat record is an advancement of two kilograms on the previous record, which he scored at the 2021 USAPL Raw Nationals. He also improved the total record by 4.5 kilograms, which he’s held since the 2020 USAPL Virginia Winter Wrecker. Had he successfully hit his final deadlift attempt, he would have shattered the USAPL deadlift record he currently holds of 383 kilograms (844.4 pounds).
Check out Rouska’s lifts from the 2021 Virginia Pro in the video below, courtesy of his Instagram page:
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[Related: Powerlifter Tiffany Chapon (47KG) Squats One Kilogram Over IPF Raw World Record In Training/
According to Open Powerlifting, Rouska has won every sanctioned powerlifting contest he’s posted a total in since October 2016. The last time he failed to stand atop the podium was at the 2016 USAPL Collegiate Nationals, where he took home the bronze. Since then, he’s won 24 of the 25 contests he’s entered — the outlier being a DQ at the 2018 Kern US Open.
Along with the overall win, Rouska earned a USAPL pro card, which grants him entry to the USAPL Pro Series Finals set to take place at the 2023 Arnold Sports Festival (ASF). Other raw powerlifters who finish in the top five of a USAPL Pro Series event will earn the opportunity to compete against Rouska at that event, where a USAPL pro card is required for entry.
Featured image: @some_strongash_guy on Instagram
