At this stage, few strength feats Heather Connor achieves in the gym would shock anyone who’s paid attention to her career. Yet, somehow, a recent lift in the gym even seemed to surprise the two-time International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) 47KG World Champion (2017, 2019).
On May 21, 2022, Connor deadlifted 195 kilograms (429 pounds) while wearing just a lifting belt during a training session. According to the caption of Connor’s Instagram post, the pull is her heaviest ever in a pre-competition phase. Connor will take part in the upcoming 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships on June 6-12, 2022, in Sun City, South Africa.
Check out the deadlift that is 4.3 times Connor’s bodyweight of 45 kilograms (99 pounds) below, via her Instagram profile:
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[Related: Rhianon Lovelace Records 241-Kilogram (530-Pound) Deadlift, Breaks British Raw Deadlift Record]
Notably, the 195-kilogram (429-pound) pull is actually Connor’s second-heaviest deadlift ever — in training or sanctioned competition. The powerlifter’s heaviest deadlift came in training on December 31, 2020, when she lifted 200 kilograms (440 pounds).
“Heaviest I have pulled before a competition, not bad after traveling almost 16 hours the day prior,”
Meanwhile, Connor’s best-ever deadlift in a competition is 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds) from both the 2021 Ireland-UA ABS Pro and the 2021 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Raw Nationals. That figure gives Connor the current American record in the 48-kilogram weight class.
Connor in Context
Connor has made a name for herself in the strength sports world with her deadlift prowess. The American athlete is the current owner of the IPF 47-kilogram deadlift World Record, thanks to a pull of 176 kilograms (388 pounds) from the 2019 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships.
Here’s a rundown of each of Connor’s best-ever marks in competitions:
Heather Connor | Top Lift Stats
- Squat (Raw) — 143 kilograms (315.2 pounds)
- Bench Press (Raw) — 165.3 kilograms (364.4 pounds)
- Deadlift (Raw) — 192.5 kilograms (424.4 pounds) | American Record
- Total (Raw) — 410 kilograms (903.9 pounds)
While her two IPF World Championships are some noteworthy peaks, they’re not all Connor can point to when it comes to stellar finishes. Here are some of Connor’s standout results from her career:
Heather Connor | Notable Career Results
- 2014 USAPL Fall Festival of Power (Raw) — First place | Juniors
- 2015 USAPL Battle on the Border IX (Raw) — First place | Juniors
- 2015 USAPL Raw Nationals (Raw) — Second place | Open
- 2016 North American Powerlifting Federation (NAPF) Arnolds StartingStrength.com Pro Raw Challenge (Raw) — First place | Open
- 2016 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships (Raw) — Second place | Open
- 2016, 2018-2019, 2021 USAPL Raw Nationals (Raw) — First place | Open
- 2017, 2019 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships (Raw) — First place | Open
- 2020 USAPL Palmetto Classic (Raw) — First place | Open
- 2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals (Raw) — First place | Open
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[Related: Powerlifter Jessica Buettner (76KG) Captures 4 National Records During 2022 CPU Nationals]
The IPF Worlds Are Next
Connor will soon take her impressive deadlift strength to a formal lifting platform. After a two-year absence from the competition, she’ll feature in the 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships on June 6-12, 2022, in Sun City, South Africa. If all goes according to plan, she may well even extend the current IPF World Record.
Featured image: @heather.e.connor on Instagram
