Richards’ new raw World Record total eclipses her peer Jade Jacob, who finished in second place at the 2023 IPF Worlds. Jacob’s notched the previous record of 503.5 kilograms (1,110 pounds) at the 2023 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships.

En route to her raw World Record-setting total, Richards notched a 180-kilogram (396.8-pound) back squat for an all-time raw competition personal record, a 107.5-kilogram (237-pound) bench press, and a 225-kilograms (496-pound) deadlift for another all-time raw competition PR.

Richards wore just a lifting belt for assistive equipment on her deadlift, while her squat was performed wearing a belt, knee sleeves, and wrist wraps. Her bench press was supported by wrist wraps alone.

Here’s an overview of Richards’ top stats from her performance at the 2023 IPF Worlds:

Natalie Richards (57KG) | 2023 IPF Worlds Top Stats

• Squat — 180 kilograms (396.8 pounds) | All-Time Raw Competition PR
• Bench Press — 107.5 kilograms (237 pounds) | Tied All-Time Competition PR
• Deadlift — 225 kilograms (496 pounds) | All-Time Raw Competition PR
• Total — 512.5 kilograms (1,129.8 pounds)  | IPF World Record

Richards’ electric IPF Worlds debut performance comes on the heels of a very productive recent run in sanctioned powerlifting contests. According to her personal page on Open Powerlifting, the athlete has now won each of her last four competitions, including a resounding victory at the 2023 Powerlifting America (AMP) Classic National Championship in late February 2023. To date, Richards has lost on just two of 13 occasions in a career that began in November 2019.

What’s clear is that Richards has already established a firm foothold as a dominant American powerlifter. The next frontier is reaching new heights at a global level. Richards is off to a great start with a gold medal, World Record performance in her international debut.

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That was 1.5 pounds over her personal best in competition, which was 178.4 kilograms (393.5 pounds) at the 2022 Carolina Primetime meet in October.

Richards had two spotters waiting to assist her if necessary. After unracking the bar and walking the weight out, Richards stood in a conventional stance, took in a breath, and descended into the hole quickly. After going below parallel, Richards struggled out of the hole with her knees coming in slightly. Nonetheless, she stood tall with the weight and smiled before returning the barbell to the rack.

She was wearing basic knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and a weightlifting belt for this one-rep set. In the post caption, and in a subsequent video reel, she shared that she also performed a set of four reps with 161 kilograms (355 pounds). One of the more-than-860 likes for Instagram post came from fellow powerlifter and multiple world-record holder John Haack.

Richards’ most recent meet was the 2023 AMP Classic National Championships, which were held in Austin, TX on Feb. 24, 2023. Her deadlift at that meet was a personal record, and her best lifts at that meet totaled to over 500 kilograms, making her the first 57-kilogram lifter to achieve that milestone in a Powerlifting America (AMP) sanctioned meet. Her lifts on that day were as follows.

Natalie Richards | All-Time Raw Competition Bests

• Squat — 175 kilograms (385.8 pounds)
• Bench Press — 105 kilograms (231.5 pounds)
• Deadlift — 221.5 kilograms (488.3 pounds)
• Total — 501.5 kilograms (1,105.6 pounds) | First 57KG Total Above 500kg

Richards is preparing to break and set new all-time world records at the IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships, which will be held on the week of June 11-18 in Valetta, Malta. Competition at the meet will be significant, as veteran lifters including Bobbie Butters (current 57kg squat World Record holder) and Jade Jacob (current 57kg deadlift and total World Record holder) are expected to compete as well.

According to Open Powerlifting, Richards has been competing since 2019. If she competes in the IPF World Classic, it will be her first appearance in an international meet. All 12 of her previous meets had been in the United States and she has come home with 10 first-place awards.

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As part of her historical total, Richards recorded an all-time raw competition-best deadlift of 221.3 kilograms (488 pounds). Richards completed the pull from a sumo stance with a mixed grip. The athlete wore just a lifting belt for the deadlift, a belt and knee sleeves for her top squat, and wrist wraps for her bench press. The angle of a clip featuring Richards’ lifts makes it unclear whether the competitor was also wearing a belt on her press.

The only major powerlifting organization with a 57-kilogram category is the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF). According to its database, the IPF’s current raw all-time World Record total in the 57-kilogram division is 495.5 kilograms (1,092.4 pounds). That mark is held by France’s Jade Jacob, who captured it at the 2022 European Powerlifting Federation (EPF) European Classic Powerlifting Championships.

While Richards’ new total does not officially surpass Jade’s on an IPF level — because her achievement didn’t occur under its jurisdiction — she remains the first-ever 57-kilogram powerlifter to achieve at least 500 kilograms on a sanctioned lifting platform.

Marianna Gasparyan totaled 552.5 kilograms at 56 kilograms at the World Raw Powerlifting Federation’s The Showdown in 2020.

Here’s an overview of Richards’ all-time raw competition bests:

Natalie Richards (57KG) | All-Time Raw Competition Bests

• Squat — 178.5 kilograms (393.5 pounds)
• Bench Press — 107.5 kilograms (237 pounds)
• Deadlift — 221.5 kilograms (488.3 pounds)
• Total — 501.2 kilograms (1,105 pounds)

According to Open Powerlifting, Richards’ victory at the 2023 AMP Classic Open Nationals extends her current winning streak to three consecutive contests. Between occasionally simultaneous Junior and Open competitions, the athlete has only ever failed to finish in first place on two instances in 12 career competitive appearances.

Per the post’s caption featuring Richards’ 2023 AMP Nationals performance, the athlete will shift her training focus to preparing for the 2023 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships. The contest scheduled for Jun. 11-18, 2023, in Valletta, Malta, will serve as Richards’ IPF debut. Provided the athlete can transfer her strength to the tentpole contest, she will have a firm place in the IPF World Record books this summer.

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