My younger son Felix Strong trained hard this year for the Swiss Full Powerlifting Championship in Lausanne on 25 March. He competed in the T2 (16-17 year) age category having turned 17 a month earlier, and in the 75-82.5 kg weight class. 

He did extremely well, setting new Swiss records for all three lifts and for the total: squat 172.5 kg, bench press 110 kg, deadlift 245 kg and total 520 kg (1146 lb). His deadlift was almost 15 kg higher than the current world record of 230.5 kg and the Swiss Drug Free Powerlifting Federation has submitted it to the world body (WDFPF) for approval as the new world record. Short videos of his three lifts are below.

In a full powerlifting competition, the athlete has three attempts for each lift. If he sets a record on his third attempt, he can request a fourth attempt to see whether he can improve his record. Fourth attempts do not count towards the powerlifting total.  Felix squatted 165 kg on his third attempt, and so his powerlifting total was 520 kg, also a Swiss record.

The hammer he carried with him raised a few eyebrows. Was it for deep tissue massage? Or dealing with other competitors? Or just to hammer a lug, which kept sliding out, into place on his belt?