A seminal moment in Kodama’s powerlifting profession.
Through the 2023 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) 2023 IPF World Classic & Equipped Bench Press Championships, powerlifter Daiki Kodama captured a 230.5-kilogram (508-pound) raw bench press en path to a first-place performance within the single-lift contest. The mark is a recent raw IPF World Record within the 83-kilogram weight class, albeit of a single-lift, non-full-power-meet distinction. At 44 years old, Kodama was a Masters 1 competitor during this competition.
In line with the IPF records database, Kodama’s lift officially surpasses his peer Owen Hubbard, who bench pressed 218.5 kilograms (481.7 kilos) for the past record within the 83-kilogram class. Kodama wore wrist wraps and a lifting belt to assist achieve his milestone. Each pieces of apparatus constitute raw implements in a sanctioned powerlifting context.
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Kodama actually participated as each a raw and equipped competitor on the 2023 IPF World Bench Press Championships. Along with his raw IPF World Record, Kodama recorded a 275-kilogram (606.2-pound) bench press while wearing a single-ply shirt throughout the equipped portion. While the lift isn’t an IPF World Record, it was enough to present Kodama one other first-place lead to the competition.
Per his page on Open Powerlifting, Kodama is a predominant bench press-only competitor. In a profession spanning back to September 2001, Kodama has been a participant in full power meets on just 4 occasions. Along with his raw and equipped first-place performances from the 2023 IPF World Bench Press Championships, Kodama can now boast greater than 20 separate gold medals (raw and equipped) from the competition as recognition of his remarkable upper-body strength.
In his native Japan, Kodama can also be a frequent participant in Japanese bench press competitions. The athlete can highlight one other 20+ distinct gold medals, each raw and equipped, in bench press-only Japanese competitions. (Note: This doesn’t count victories in competitions featuring a particular occupation, corresponding to law enforcement or firefighters, because the principal class of competitors.)
Notably, Kodama also possesses the IPF Raw World Record bench press within the 74-kilogram division. He scored this lift of 225 kilograms (496 kilos) on the 2019 IPF World Men’s Open Classic Bench Press Championships, which sarcastically took place in Japan throughout the spring of 2019.
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At this stage of his powerlifting profession, Kodama likely has nothing else to prove. His rap sheet has established him as arguably considered one of the best bench pressers of all time. On the very least, he’s definitely been one of the prolific. Nonetheless, rewriting the record books one more time needed to be a satisfying milestone for this seasoned upper-body specialist.
Featured image: @theipf on Instagram