With this record and this performance, Muluh continued a current series of successes.
On June 11–18, 2023, during the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Powerlifting Championships 2023, Belgian powerlifter Sonita Muluh scored one 285.5 kilograms (629.4 pounds) heavy squat. The success was enough to gift the athletes an IPF world record in the plus 84 kilogram class. It also helped Muluh take second place in this category at the competition held in Valletta, Malta.
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Wearing a lifting belt and knee socks, Muluh used wrist wraps to achieve the squat milestone. Any of this equipment is considered raw in an officially sanctioned powerlifting environment. While Muluh’s staggering number represents a world record in the top IPF division for female athletes, she also holds the honor of being the all-time raw world record for an all-time female athlete.
The record was previously and briefly held by IPF Worlds 2023 competitor Brittany Schlater, who squatted 281 kilograms (619.5 pounds) in her performance at the competition just before Muluh’s attempt. Previously, the record belonged to perennial IPF World Champion Bonica Brown, who squatted 280 kilograms (617.3 pounds) in a performance in fifth place at the 2023 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships.
Muluh’s squat beats Brown’s lift many times over 5.5 kilograms (12.1 pounds). Notably, Brown actually squatted more than Muluh in her performance at IPF Worlds 2023, lifting 289 kilograms (637.1 pounds) on the athlete’s last attempt. However, since Brown failed to pull off a successful deadlift pull, none of her stats were officially recorded.
From an overall perspective, Muluh’s raw weight of 688.5 kilograms (1,517.9 pounds) in second place could have been considered admirable. That’s because eventual winner of the 84-kg class, Brittany Schlater, achieved a world record total of 693.5 kilograms (1,528.9 pounds) for her win.
Here’s an overview of the podium in the plus 84-kilogram class:
IPF World Championships 2023 | +84KG podium
- Brittany Schlater: 693.5 kilograms (1,528.9 pounds) | IPF World Record
- Sonita Muluh: 688.5 kilograms (1,517.9 pounds)
- Jewel Tasi: 647.5 kilograms (1,427.5 pounds)
According to her personal Open Powerlifting page, this second-place finish at the 2023 IPF World Championships marks the first time since the 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships, where she placed sixth, that Muluh has not been able to claim a win. In total, Muluh has nine wins in 13 competitive games is from February 2020.
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Muluh has made headlines in the past with her strength. A monstrous squat on one of the biggest international stages is a surefire way to gain even more traction in an already promising career.
Featured image: @theipf on Instagram
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