Daniel Clements is one of the best powerlifters in the world in the 66-kilogram weight class. At 24 years of age, he lifted the second heaviest ever raw deadlift of 297.5 kilograms (655.9 pounds) at the 2021 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Raw Nationals — an event he won. On Oct. 19, 2021, Clements pulled a personal best raw deadlift in the gym of 310 kilograms (683.4 pounds).
Clement’s gym deadlift is notable not only because it matches his competition best deadlift from the 2020 USAPL Virginia Winter Wrecker — the only contest of his powerlifting career where he competed in the 74-kilogram class — but because it is 12 kilograms (26.5 pounds) heavier than the current raw deadlift world record at 66 kilograms. Hassan El Belghiti holds that record with his 298-kilogram (657-pound) deadlift at the 2019 FFForce Championnats de France Force Athlétique Elite.
Check out Clements deadlift in the video below from his Instagram page, which features him using a mixed grip in a sumo stance while wearing a lifting belt:
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[Related: Powerlifter Russel Orhii (83KG) Squats 19 Pounds Over His IPF World Record In Training]
Clements did not share his weight at the time of this lift. It is, however, a whopping 4.7 times his competition body weight.
Daniel Clements’ Powerlifting Career
According to Open Powerlifting, Clements began his powerlifting career in 2016 at age 19. His competitive powerlifting debut was a gold-medal finish at the 2016 Southern Powerlifting Federation (SPF) Brute’s Sizzling Summer Powerlifting Meet, where he totaled 557.9 kilograms (1,230 pounds). Since then, he has competed in six sanctioned contests to an 83 percent win rate, earning gold in all but one meet — a runner-up finish at the 2020 USAPL Arnold A7 Pro Raw Challenge. Jonathan Garcia beat Clements at that meet by four kilograms.
The highlight of Clements powerlifting career came in June 2021 at the 2021 USAPL Raw National Championships, where he stood atop the podium after scoring the following lifts:
2021 USAPL Raw National Championships — Daniel Clements | 66KG
- Squat — 245 kilograms (540.1 pounds)
- Bench Press — 160 kilograms (352.7 pounds)
- Deadlift — 297.5 kilograms (655.9 pounds)
- Total — 702.5 kilograms (1,548.8 pounds)
Clements next competition is the USAPL Virginia Pro on Dec. 4, 2021. Assuming he uses the momentum he clearly has in the gym in that contest, he will likely walk away with another piece of hardware for his trophy room.
Feature image: @danlsann on Instagram