# The World Deadlift Championships

The World Deadlift Championships is an annual competition featuring strength athletes from all over the world, competing exclusively in the strongman deadlift. It was created by Giants Live and the championship focuses mainly on the maximum deadlift in pursuit of the deadlift world record, although in the 2017 edition, the event was changed to a 400 kg (882 lb) weight for the most repetitions in 60 seconds before reverting to a maximum weight format in 2019 after a one-year hiatus.

## Champions

| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | Third Place | Host City |
| 2014 | Benedikt Magnússon | Eddie Hall | Laurence Shahlaei Martin Wildauer | Leeds, England |
| 2015 | Eddie Hall | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Rauno Heinla Jerry Pritchett | Leeds, England |
| 2016 | Eddie Hall | Benedikt Magnússon Jerry Pritchett | | Leeds, England |
| 2017 | JF Caron Konstantine Janashia | | Benedikt Magnússon | Manchester, England |
| 2019 | Rauno Heinla Jerry Pritchett | | Rob Kearney Adam Bishop Nedzmin Ambeskovic | Wembley, England |
| 2021 | Ivan Makarov $^1$ | Pavlo Nakonechnyy Evan Singleton Adam Bishop Oleksii Novikov Gabriel Peña Nedžmin Ambešković | | Manchester, England |
| 2022 | Rauno Heinla | Graham Hicks Ivan Makarov $^2$ Pavlo Nakonechnyy Mitchell Hooper | | Cardiff, Wales |
| 2023 (Men) | Graham Hicks | Rauno Heinla Ivan Makarov $^2$ Evan Singleton | | Cardiff, Wales |
| 2023 (Women) | Lucy Underdown | Rebecca Roberts | | Cardiff, Wales |
| 2024 | Rauno Heinla Mitchell Hooper Ivan Makarov Trey Mitchell | | | Las Vegas, United States |
$^1$ While Makarov has declared for Russia, he competed for Ukraine at the 2021 World Deadlift Championships.
$^2$ While Makarov has declared for Russia, he competed for Georgia at the 2022 and 2023 World Deadlift Championships.

## Heaviest lifts
### In history (men)

| # | Weight | Competitor | Event location and name | Bar/ standard | World Record? |
| 1 | 501 kg (1,105 lb) | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Reykjavík, Iceland 2020 World's Ultimate Strongman Feats of Strength series | Standard/ single ply suit | Yes |
| 2 | 500 kg (1,102 lb) | Eddie Hall | Leeds, England 2016 World Deadlift Championships | Standard/ multi ply suit | Yes |
| 3 | 485 kg (1,069 lb) | Peiman Maheripour | Tehran, Iran 2024 Iran Strongest Men & Women's Deadlift Championship | Standard/ multi ply suit | No |
| 4 | 483 kg (1,065 lb) | Ivan Makarov | Neukirchen beim Heiligen Blut, Germany 2022 Eisenhart Black Competition | Standard/ multi ply suit | No |
| 5 | 481 kg (1,060 lb) | Peiman Maheripour | Moscow, Russia 2021 WRPF World Championships | Standard/ multi ply suit | No |
| 6 | 477.5 kg (1,053 lb) | Peiman Maheripour | Moscow, Russia 2021 WRPF World Championships | Standard/ multi ply suit | No |
| 7 | 476 kg (1,049 lb) | Rauno Heinla | Cardiff, Wales 2022 World Deadlift Championships | Standard/ multi ply suit | Yes (Over 40s only) |
| 8 | 475 kg (1,047 lb) | Mitchell Hooper | Australia 2021 Excalibur Maximum Deadlift | Standard/ multi ply suit | No |
| 8 | 475 kg (1,047 lb) | Ivan Makarov $^1$ | Manchester, England 2021 World Deadlift Championships | Standard/ multi ply suit | No |
| 10 | 474.5 kg (1,046 lb) | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Columbus, United States 2019 Arnold Strongman Classic | Elephant/ raw | Yes (Elephant only) |

### In history (women)

| # | Weight | Competitor | Event location and name | Bar/ standard | World Record? |
| 1 | 325 kg (717 lb) | Lucy Underdown | Las Vegas, United States 2024 World Deadlift Championships | Standard/ single ply suit | Yes |
| 2 | 318 kg (701 lb) | Lucy Underdown | Cardiff, Wales 2023 World Deadlift Championships | Standard/ single ply suit | Yes |
| 3 | 315 kg (694 lb) | Becca Swanson | Helsinki, Finland 2005 WPC WPO European Semi Finals | Power/ multi ply suit | Yes |
| 4 | 311 kg (686 lb) | Lucy Underdown | Aberdeen, Scotland 2024 Rogue Invitational | Standard/ single ply suit | No |
| 5 | 307 kg (677 lb) | Lucy Underdown | Columbus, United States 2025 Arnold Strongwoman Classic | Elephant/ raw | Yes (Elephant only) |
| 6 | 305 kg (672 lb) | Becca Swanson | Chicago, United States 2005 WPC WPO Semifinals | Power/ multi ply suit | Yes |
| 6 | 305 kg (672 lb) | Lucy Underdown | Cardiff, Wales 2023 World Deadlift Championships | Standard/ single ply suit | Yes (Strongwoman only) |
| 6 | 305 kg (672 lb) | Sumer Johnson | Roanoke, United States 2024 Cerberus Super Series Deadlift Championship | Standard/ multi ply suit | Yes (U82 Strongwoman only) |
| 9 | 304 kg (670 lb) | Andrea Thompson | Columbus, United States 2025 Arnold Strongwoman Classic | Elephant/ raw | Yes (Over 40s and Elephant only) |
| 10 | 302 kg (666 lb) | Lucy Underdown | Columbus, United States 2024 Arnold Strongwoman Classic | Elephant/ single ply suit | Yes (Elephant only) |
| 10 | 302 kg (666 lb) | Andrea Thompson | Aberdeen, Scotland 2024 Rogue Invitational | Elephant/ single ply suit | Yes (Over 40s only) |

### At the championships (men)

| # | Weight | Competitor | Year | Bar | Record Set |
| 1 | 500 kg (1,102 lb) | Eddie Hall | 2016 | Standard | World Record |
| 2 | 476 kg (1,049 lb) | Rauno Heinla | 2022 | Standard | Estonian Record, World Record (over-40s) |
| 3 | 475 kg (1,047 lb) | Ivan Makarov $^1$ | 2021 | Standard | Ukrainian Record |
| 4 | 470 kg (1,036 lb) | Graham Hicks | 2023 | Standard | - |
| 4 | 470 kg (1,036 lb) | Trey Mitchell | 2024 | Standard | World Record (raw) |
| 4 | 470 kg (1,036 lb) | Ivan Makarov $^2$ | 2024 | Standard | Georgian Record |
| 4 | 470 kg (1,036 lb) | Rauno Heinla | 2024 | Standard | - |
| 4 | 470 kg (1,036 lb) | Mitchell Hooper | 2024 | Standard | - |
| 9 | 465 kg (1,025 lb) | Eddie Hall | 2016 | Standard | World Record |
| 9 | 465 kg (1,025 lb) | Benedikt Magnússon | 2016 | Standard | World Record |
| 9 | 465 kg (1,025 lb) | Jerry Pritchett | 2016 | Standard | World Record & World Record (raw) |

### At the championships (women)

| # | Weight | Competitor | Year | Bar | Record Set |
| 1 | 325 kg (717 lb) | Lucy Underdown | 2024 | Standard | World Record |
| 2 | 318 kg (701 lb) | Lucy Underdown | 2023 | Standard | World Record |
| 3 | 305 kg (672 lb) | Lucy Underdown | 2023 | Standard | English Record |
| 4 | 290 kg (639 lb) | Lucy Underdown | 2024 | Standard | - |
| 5 | 280 kg (617 lb) | Rebecca Roberts | 2023 | Standard | Welsh Record |
| 5 | 280 kg (617 lb) | Lucy Underdown | 2023 | Standard | - |

### Continental records (men)

* This list features lifts made with a standard bar.
| Region | Weight | Athlete | Nation | Year |
| Europe | 501 kg (1,105 lb) | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 2020 |
| Asia | 485 kg (1,069 lb) | Peiman Maheripour | Iran | 2024 |
| North, Central America and Caribbean | 475 kg (1,047 lb) | Mitchell Hooper | Canada | 2021 |
| Oceania | 460 kg (1,014 lb) | Mathew Ragg | New Zealand | 2024 |
| Africa | 455 kg (1,003 lb) | Chris van der Linde | South Africa | 2022 |
| South America | 402.5 kg (887 lb) | Rafa Crestani | Brazil | 2014 |

### Continental records (women)

* This list features lifts made with a standard bar.
| Region | Weight | Athlete | Nation | Year |
| Europe | 325 kg (717 lb) | Lucy Underdown | England | 2024 |
| North, Central America and Caribbean | 305 kg (672 lb) | Sumer Johnson | United States | 2024 |
| Oceania | 292.5 kg (645 lb) | Lydia Hantke | Australia | 2025 |
| Africa | 270 kg (595 lb) | Cherry Muchindu | Zambia | 2022 |
| Asia | 225 kg (496 lb) | Anja Schuffner | South Korea | 2023 |
| South America | (To be confirmed) | (To be confirmed) | (To be confirmed) | (TBC) |

### Records on other bars and standards

| Lift details | Weight | Athlete | Nation | Year |
| Elephant bar (Standard 9" height) | 474.5 kg (1,046 lb) | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 2019 |
| Power bar - Conventional (Standard 9" height) | 460.4 kg (1,015 lb) | Benedikt Magnússon | Iceland | 2011 |
| Power bar - Sumo (Standard 9" height) $^3$ | 487.5 kg (1,075 lb) | Danny Grigsby | United States | 2022 |
| Hummer tyre (Elevated 15" height) | 549 kg (1,210 lb) | Oleksii Novikov | Ukraine | 2022 |
| Silver Dollar (Elevated 18" height) | 580 kg (1,279 lb) | Rauno Heinla | Estonia | 2022 |
| Axle bar (Elevated 18" height) | 499 kg (1,100 lb) | Gabriel Peña | Mexico | 2021 |
$^3$ This lift has been included as a reference - sumo deadlifts are classified as illegal in strongman competitions.

## Individual results
### 2014

The 2014 World Deadlift Championships were held at the Headingley Stadium in Leeds, England on 9 August 2014 during the 2014 Europe's Strongest Man. Magnússon set a new world record with a lift of 461 kg (1,016 lb).

#### Results

| # | Name | Weight |
| 1 | Benedikt Magnússon | 461 kg (1,016 lb) |
| 2 | Eddie Hall | 446 kg (983 lb) |
| 3 | Martin Wildauer | 435 kg (959 lb) |
| 3 | Laurence Shahlaei | 435 kg (959 lb) |
| 5 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 420 kg (926 lb) |
| 5 | Mark Felix | 420 kg (926 lb) |
| 5 | Johannes Årsjö | 420 kg (926 lb) |
| 8 | Graham Hicks | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 8 | Vytautas Lalas | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 8 | Krzysztof Radzikowski | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 8 | Andy Bolton | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 12 | Mikhail Koklyaev | No lift |
| X | Brian Shaw | Withdrew |

#### Records

| Nation | Name | Weight |
| World | Benedikt Magnússon | 461 kg (1,016 lb) |
| Icelandic | Benedikt Magnússon | 461 kg (1,016 lb) |
| English | Eddie Hall | 446 kg (983 lb) |
| Austrian | Martin Wildauer | 435 kg (959 lb) |
| Swedish | Johannes Årsjö | 420 kg (926 lb) |

### 2015

The 2015 World Deadlift Championships were held at the Headingley Stadium in Leeds, England on July 11, 2015. Hall set a new world record with a lift of 463 kg (1,021 lb).

#### Results

| # | Name | Weight |
| 1 | Eddie Hall | 463 kg (1,021 lb) |
| 2 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 450 kg (992 lb) |
| 3 | Rauno Heinla | 435 kg (959 lb) |
| 3 | Jerry Pritchett | 435 kg (959 lb) |
| 5 | Andy Bolton | 430 kg (948 lb) |
| 6 | Mark Felix | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 6 | Krzysztof Radzikowski | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 6 | Terry Hollands | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 6 | Dainis Zageris | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 6 | Matjaz Belsak | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 11 | Dimitar Savatinov | 360 kg (794 lb) |
| 12 | Luke Stoltman | No lift |

#### Records

| Nation | Name | Weight |
| World | Eddie Hall | 463 kg (1,021 lb) |
| English | Eddie Hall | 463 kg (1,021 lb) |
| Estonian | Rauno Heinla | 435 kg (959 lb) |
| Slovenian | Matjaz Belsak | 400 kg (882 lb) |

### 2016

The 2016 World Deadlift Championships were held at the 2016 Europe's Strongest Man event at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England. Hall set a new world record, becoming the first person in history to deadlift 500 kg (1,102 lb).

#### Results

| # | Name | Weight |
| 1 | Eddie Hall | 500 kg (1,102 lb) |
| 2 | Benedikt Magnússon | 465 kg (1,025 lb) |
| 2 | Jerry Pritchett | 465 kg (1,025 lb) |
| 4 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 440 kg (970 lb) |
| 5 | Laurence Shahlaei | 420 kg (926 lb) |
| 5 | Terry Hollands | 420 kg (926 lb) |
| 5 | Mark Felix | 420 kg (926 lb) |
| 5 | Marius Lalas | 420 kg (926 lb) |
| 9 | Johannes Årsjö | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 9 | Dimitar Savatinov | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 9 | Adam Bishop | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 12 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | No lift |
| 12 | Stefan Solvi Petursson | No lift |

#### Records

| Nation | Name | Weight |
| World | Eddie Hall | 500 kg (1,102 lb) |
| English | Eddie Hall | 500 kg (1,102 lb) |
| Icelandic | Benedikt Magnússon | 465 kg (1,025 lb) |
| American | Jerry Pritchett | 465 kg (1,025 lb) |

### 2017

The 2017 World Deadlift Championships were held at the Giants Live Finals event in Manchester, England. In this edition, the championships were changed to a deadlift for the most repetitions in 60 seconds format with a fixed weight of 400 kg (882 lb) .

#### Results

| # | Name | Repetitions |
| 1 | JF Caron | 5 |
| 1 | Konstantine Janashia | 5 |
| 3 | Benedikt Magnússon | 3 |
| 4 | Žydrūnas Savickas | 2 |
| 5 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | 1 |
| 6 | Laurence Shahlaei | 0 |
| 6 | Nick Best | 0 |
| 6 | Terry Hollands | 0 |
| 6 | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | 0 |

### 2019

The 2019 World Deadlift Championships were held at the Wembley Arena in Wembley, England, as the opening event for Giants Live Wembley. In this edition, the championships returned to the max weight deadlift format.

#### Results

| # | Name | Weight |
| 1 | Rauno Heinla | 455 kg (1,003 lb) |
| 1 | Jerry Pritchett | 455 kg (1,003 lb) |
| 3 | Rob Kearney | 440 kg (970 lb) |
| 3 | Adam Bishop | 440 kg (970 lb) |
| 3 | Nedžmin Ambešković | 440 kg (970 lb) |
| 6 | Martins Licis | 420 kg (926 lb) |
| 6 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | 420 kg (926 lb) |
| 6 | Mark Felix | 420 kg (926 lb) |
| 9 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 9 | Tom Stoltman | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 11 | Luke Stoltman | No lift |

#### Records

| Nation | Name | Weight |
| Estonian | Rauno Heinla | 455 kg (1,003 lb) |
| Bosnian | Nedžmin Ambešković | 440 kg (970 lb) |

### 2021

The 2021 World Deadlift Championships were held at the AO Arena in Manchester, England, as the opening event for Giants Live World Open.

#### Results

| # | Name | Weight |
| 1 | Ivan Makarov $^1$ | 475 kg (1,047 lb) |
| 2 | Pavlo Nakonechnyy | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| 2 | Evan Singleton | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| 2 | Adam Bishop | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| 2 | Oleksii Novikov | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| 2 | Gabriel Peña | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| 2 | Nedžmin Ambešković | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| 8 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | 425 kg (937 lb) |
| 8 | Rauno Heinla | 425 kg (937 lb) |
| 8 | Gavin Bilton | 425 kg (937 lb) |
| 8 | Andy Black | 425 kg (937 lb) |

#### Records

| Nation | Name | Weight |
| Ukrainian | Ivan Makarov | 475 kg (1,047 lb) |
| Mexican | Gabriel Peña | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| Bosnian | Nedžmin Ambešković | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| Welsh | Gavin Bilton | 425 kg (937 lb) |

### 2022

The 2022 World Deadlift Championships were held at the Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff, Wales, as the opening event for Giants Live World Open. During this competition, as a result of another nationality change, Ivan Makarov became the first strongman to hold the national deadlift record for three different countries, having set the new Georgian record at 453.5 kg. Makarov, at the time of the championships also held the Ukrainian (475 kg - set 2021) and the Russian records (470 kg - set 2019).

#### Results

| # | Name | Weight |
| 1 | Rauno Heinla | 476 kg (1,049 lb) |
| 2 | Graham Hicks | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| 2 | Mitchell Hooper | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| 2 | Ivan Makarov $^2$ | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| 2 | Pavlo Nakonechnyy | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| 6 | Gavin Bilton | 425.5 kg (938 lb) |
| 6 | Oleksii Novikov | 425.5 kg (938 lb) |
| 6 | Evan Singleton | 425.5 kg (938 lb) |
| 9 | Andy Black | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 9 | Shane Flowers | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 9 | Pa O'Dwyer | 400 kg (882 lb) |

#### Records

| Nation | Name | Weight |
| World (over-40s) | Rauno Heinla | 476 kg (1,049 lb) |
| Estonian | Rauno Heinla | 476 kg (1,049 lb) |
| Georgian | Ivan Makarov | 453.5 kg (1,000 lb) |
| Welsh | Gavin Bilton | 425.5 kg (938 lb) |

### 2023

The 2023 World Deadlift Championships were held at the Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff, Wales, as the opening event for Giants Live World Open. This was the first championships to have female competitors, with Lucy Underdown setting a new world record of 317.5 kg (700 lb).

#### Results

| # | Name | Weight |
| 1 | Graham Hicks | 470 kg (1,036 lb) |
| 2 | Rauno Heinla | 455 kg (1,003 lb) |
| 2 | Ivan Makarov $^2$ | 455 kg (1,003 lb) |
| 2 | Evan Singleton | 455 kg (1,003 lb) |
| 5 | Austin Andrade | 430 kg (948 lb) |
| 5 | Gavin Bilton | 430 kg (948 lb) |
| 5 | Jamal Browner | 430 kg (948 lb) |
| 5 | Shane Flowers | 430 kg (948 lb) |
| 9 | Evans Nana | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 9 | Rob Kearney | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 9 | Oleksii Novikov | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 9 | Pa O'Dwyer | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 9 | Luke Stoltman | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| 14 (1F) | Lucy Underdown | 318 kg (701 lb) |
| 15 (2F) | Rebecca Roberts | 280 kg (617 lb) |
| 16 | Oskar Ziółkowski | No Lift |

#### Records

| Nation | Name | Weight |
| Georgian | Ivan Makarov | 455 kg (1,003 lb) |
| Welsh | Gavin Bilton | 430 kg (948 lb) |
| Ghanaian | Evans Nana | 400 kg (882 lb) |
| World (women) | Lucy Underdown | 318 kg (701 lb) |
| English (women) | Lucy Underdown | 318 kg (701 lb) |
| Welsh (women) | Rebecca Roberts | 280 kg (617 lb) |