Connor has added more jewels to her deadlift crown.
Written by Robert Zeglinski
When it comes to “pulling” off the seemingly impossible on monstrous deadlifts, Heather Connor is unmatched. During the 2023 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Powerlifting Championships in Valletta, Malta, the superstar pulled another heavy rabbit out of her black top hat when she deadlifted 200 kilograms (440.9 pounds) raw. The milestone is an IPF World Record in the 47-kilogram weight class and helped Connor finish in third place, with rival Tiffany Chapon taking the top spot once again.
Connor’s raw IPF World Record deadlift eclipses her own previous massive pulling feat of 185 kilograms (407.8 pounds). The athlete captured that accomplishment during the 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships. Approximately a calendar year later, Connor has rewritten the record books by herself, adding an astonishing 15 kilograms (33.1 pounds) to the 47-kilogram class’s raw deadlift record. Connor wore a lifting belt while utilizing a sumo stance and a mixed grip on her loaded barbell for the historic pull.
A former two-time IPF world champion (2017, 2019), the 2023 IPF Worlds was, officially, Connor’s second attempt at regaining the top mantle in the 47-kilogram division. Unfortunately for the athlete, Connor’s efforts have aligned with the rise of the now three-time 47-kilogram world champion in Chapon. Nevertheless, taking home a record on a signature lift is never a bad consolation prize.
Here’s an overview of Connor’s top stats from the 2023 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships:
Heather Connor (47KG) | 2023 IPF Worlds Top Stats
- Squat — 132.5 kilograms (292.1 pounds)
- Bench Press — 75 kilograms (165.3 pounds)
- Deadlift — 200 kilograms (440.9 pounds) | IPF World Record
- Total — 407.5 kilograms (898.4 pounds)
Notably, per a reflective post on Connor’s Instagram profile, the powerlifter almost had to overcome a measure of health adversity to score her latest World Record deadlift. The athlete wrote that she heard “popping sounds” while performing a back squat and that the prospect of competing while injured was “terrifying.” At the time of this writing, Connor has not provided more specifics on the extent of her ailment or clarified if there was anything even wrong.
It appears to have merely been a minor scare in the latest chapter of a powerlifting great.
“This is the happiest and healthiest I’ve been in a long while,” Connor started. “Being able to go back and forth with attempts to pull a massive World Record to get on the podium was unreal. It was exciting and what I believe makes the sport [of powerlifting] so much more fun to watch.”
Based on her previous competitive precedent, Connor will likely compete in at least one more sanctioned contest before the end of 2023. For one, the athlete is the defending Fédération Française de Force (FFForce) Girl Power champion. Plus, further appearances are just more golden opportunities for a famous deadlifter to break more of her own records.
Featured image: @theipf on Instagram
About Robert Zeglinski
Robert is a seasoned and adept editor and writer with a keen, passionate penchant for the writing craft. He’s been a leader in newsrooms such as SB Nation, USA TODAY, and WBBM Newsradio, with various other content and art production teams, and first made a name for himself in his hometown of Chicago. When not knee-deep in research or lost in a stream of consciousness for a thorough piece, you can find Robert inhaling yet another novel, journaling his heart out, or playing with his Shiba Inu, Maximus (Max, for short).