Kolb can now count himself as a trailblazing pioneer.
With regards to a few of the strongest lifts in recorded history, powerlifter Jimmy Kolb now stands alone. On Feb. 4, 2023, in the course of the 2023 International Powerlifting Association (IPA) Hillbilly Havoc in Hurricane, WV, Kolb captured a 612.5-kilogram (1,350.3-pound) equipped bench press. The mark is an all-time World Record and is officially the heaviest lift ever achieved in a sanctioned competition. In keeping with Open Powerlifting, Kolb surpassed his own previous World Record of 598.7 kilograms (1,320 kilos) from the 2022 IPA State Championships. The equipped press can be the primary lift over 600 kilograms in any powerlifting division or category ever.
Along with being adorned with appropriate wrist wraps and a lifting belt during his monumental feat, Kolb utilized a bench press shirt. The specialized equipment gives an athlete an assist in getting their weight off their chest while also “resisting” as the burden lowers toward the athlete. Kolb competed within the 140-plus-kilogram weight class, which he has maintained since January 2021, weighing in at an official 147.8 kilograms (326 kilos) for essentially the most recent record-setting contest.
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The video of Kolb’s massive lift features several spotters available, giving him requisite support. The athlete lowered his loaded barbell to his chest and struggled into position, fighting against the durable bench press shirt, before receiving the judge’s command to lift up. There seemed to be a measure of a strain for Kolb, but he successfully locked out the rep eventually. Once in lockout position, the athlete held the burden securely before the official available finally allowed him to re-rack it.
In the identical video post, Kolb’s pride in logging his record achievement was evident in displaying his official scorecard with a smile.
“Today was a great day.”
Before Kolb’s latest bench press accomplishment, Nathan Baptist was the closest athlete to the 600-kilogram barrier on any single lift, per Open Powerlifting. Baptist successfully squatted 594.7 kilograms (1,311.7 kilos) for a 140-kilogram-plus World Record on the 2021 United Powerlifting Association’s (UPA) Utah Kickoff.
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Notably, Kolb mainly participates in bench-press-only meets. Kolb has won his last nine contests dating back to February 2020, only one in every of which was a full-power meet within the 2022 IPA 814 Strength Spectacular. Ultimately, in a comparatively prolific profession that began in April 2009, Kolb has only fallen wanting a first-place result on eight occasions.
Now, as he notches one other legendary mark, Kolb can know all his labor led to him making history once more.
Featured image: @kolbstrong on Instagram