Prescillia “Lya” Bavoil of France was the 2019 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) European Classic champion in the -63kg weight class. At that event, she set the current world record squat of 193kg/425lb, exceeding the previous record she also set by 5kg/11lbs. Judging by her most recent successes in training, she is on course to break that record yet again in 2020.
Check out this absolutely gigantic squat of 205kg/451lb that Bavoil shared on her Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Juun4AoLU/
It is pretty clear in this video that the struggle hit Bavoil halfway up when she briefly starts to shake. But she is able to push past it and lock it out at the top before jumping into the arms of her coach in celebration. To put into context just how heavy this squat is, it is 12kg/26lb heavier than the current -63kg world record. It is also 1.5kg/3lb more than the current -72kg world record squat of 203.5kg/448.6lb held by Angelina Elovikova of Russia.
Although this was a gym lift and Bavoil’s body weight during this session is unknown, lifting more than the world record of the next weight class up is an incredible feat of strength.
Bavoil has consistently shared the successes she has had in training, many of which have been surpassing her world record squat. Just this past December, she locked out 200kg/440lb on her birthday. If you have not had the opportunity to see that lift yet, check it out below here:
Since then, that volume of weight has become a more common part of her training routine rather than a milestone.
Here is Bavoil squatting that same 200kg/440lb just last week:
Bavoil is almost assuredly going to have a historic 2020 if her training continues at its current pace. She pulls heavy as her continental record 216kg/476lb deadlift shows and she holds the current IPF world record total (514kg/1,133lb) in the -63kg class. At her next meet, when it comes to the squat, Bavoil might prove she is in a class of her own.
Feature image from Prescillia Bavoil’s Instagram page: @lya_powerlift
