Lebanese athlete Étienne Chaer (23) shattered the world record in the Open category by deadlifting 396 kg Raw.
Druskininkai, Lithuania, hosted the IPF Classic Powerlifting World Championships 2024 from June 15 to 23. Étienne el-Chaer, a rising star in the junior category, was no longer eligible to compete in this category at the start of the 2024 season. Despite this, the young Lebanese athlete showed his determination in the 120 kg category by setting a new IPF Raw Deadlift world record with an impressive lift of 396 kg, a truly remarkable feat.
Étienne El Chaer’s journey in the competition was marked by ups and downs. Despite a difficult start, he approached the deadlift phase with confidence. In his first attempt, he achieved an impressive lift of 370 kilograms, allowing him to advance in the rankings. However, his second attempt, aiming for a record with 396 kilograms, was annulled due to slight technical issues, including a trembling knee and a slightly slouched posture at the end of the lift.
Despite increased pressure in his final attempt, Étienne Chaer managed to lock out the lift correctly, thus setting a new world record in the IPF U120KG category.
“Emotionally, the journey is like a rollercoaster. Sacrifices are made, and personal life is often put on hold. There are moments of frustration, tears of exhaustion, and the fear of failure looms. But it’s these emotional lows that make the final victory all the sweeter,” said the new record holder.