The winner and only competitor of the Men Master 3 U93kg Category, Shamsul Anuar, at the National Powerlifting Championships.
CHAI Bor Ren was the champion in the Overall Open Men category at the National Powerlifting Championships 2023.
He accumulated a total of 102.48 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) points and a total lift of 775.50kg.
In the Overall Open Women category, Khoo Sheue Yee lifted 120kg in squat, more than double her body weight.
With a total lift of 331kg and total IPF points of 93.25, she claimed the title of Best Overall Open Women.
Organised by Malaysian Association For Powerlifting (MAP), the competition was held at Da Men Mall in Subang Jaya, Selangor, followed by a live stream on MAP’s official YouTube channel.
“The success of this event is a unified showcase of unwavering determination, raw strength and resounding spirit that resonates with every lift,” said MAP president Datuk Dayalan Jeevan.
“It serves as a testament of boundless human potential, where athletes transcend their perceived limits and forge remarkable bonds of camaraderie that inspire each other to ascend to even greater heights.”
Sanctioned by the IPF, the competition featured 63 men and 27 women vying for the grand prizes in the Men’s and Women’s Open categories, Men’s and Women’s Junior categories, as well as the Men’s and Women’s Masters categories.
The Junior categories also witnessed exceptional performances.
Glenn Minnson Khoo stood out in the Junior Men division with a total lift of 705.50kg accompanied by an IPF points score of 93.18, securing him the title of Best Overall Junior Men.
His bench press lifts shattered the previous record with an impressive 180kg.
In the Junior Women category, Lee Shu Wei emerged as the Best Overall Women-Junior.
Her performance included a total lift of 342.5kg, earning her an IPF points score of 86.77.
She also established new national records in the squat and bench press, reaching 132.5kg and 70kg respectively.
Powerlifting is a sport that embraces individuals of all ages, including those over 40 who competed in the Master’s categories.
Among them, Jonathan Gabriel Wong – Master 1 U74kg emerged as the Best Overall Masters Men, with a total lift of 515.5kg.
He garnered a total IPF points of 76.93.
He shattered the national records in all of his lifts, setting new benchmarks of 182.5kg for squat, 113kg for bench press and 220kg for deadlift.
In the oldest Men Master 3 Category U93kg was Shamsul Anuar Ahamad Ibrahim, who at 60 has been competing for a long time now and walks away with a gold medal each time because there isn’t a competitor for this category.
In the Women’s Master 1 U84kg Category, Norleila Hussin claimed Best Overall Masters Women, with a total lift of 372.5kg.
She earned a total IPF points score of 71.82.
Norleila broke the national women’s records for both squat and deadlift, reaching 140kg and 162.5kg respectively.
She proves that age is not a barrier to achieving success in this sport.
Similarly, in the oldest Women Master 2 Category U76kg was Alison Agnes Rodrigues, who set a new national record in her category for squats at 110kg which improved from her last competition at 102.5kg.
Her bench press was 65kg and deadlift 133kg (previous record). She too walked away with a gold medal.
Aside from this, MAP has been selected for the first time to host the Asian Powerlifting Championships in December this year.
With over 500 athletes across Asia, this milestone not only recognises Malaysia’s growing prominence in powerlifting but also highlights its capacity to organise large-scale international sporting events.
