Gabriel Peña is gearing up to make a big move in the world of strength sports. On March 15, registration opened for the 2023 World Strength Games (WSG), a gathering of elite strongmen set to take place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL from September 15-17. Peña will be among the participants attempting world-class lifts in the competition.
In particular, Peña has his sights set on breaking an American deadlift record at the event. The athlete made this clear in a March 16, 2023 post on his Instagram page, where he stated his intentions to leave his mark on history:
“I’m heading to Florida to carve my name in the history books. September 15, the American deadlift record will fall at the 2023 World Strength Games.”
With a clear goal in mind, Peña is sure to bring his best to the competition and make a strong showing for himself and his fans.
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A chance to earn a $20,000 cash prize awaits whoever breaks the current American deadlift record at the 2023 World Strength Games (WSG). For Gabriel Peña, the record-breaking attempt represents more than just an opportunity to etch his name into history books.
The American deadlift record, depending on the barbell used, exists in two categories, according to Strength Results and Starting Strongman. At the 2017 Rogue Record Breakers, Jerry Pritchett pulled a whopping 467.7-kilogram (1,031-pound) deadlift, earning him the title of the current American deadlift record holder. However, his achievement came with an Elephant barbell, which is known to have more give than the standard Olympic barbell.
The heaviest recorded deadlift on a standard barbell by an American strongman is 453.5 kilograms (999.8 pounds) by Evan Singleton at the 2021 World Deadlift Championships, won by Ivan Makarov, as reported by Strongman Results. It is important to note that all strongman deadlifts for max reps are typically equipped, and there is no separate record for raw versus equipped lifts in strongman, unlike in powerlifting.
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Peña has demonstrated his ability to lift 1,000 pounds in training. Following his medical withdrawal from the 2020 World’s Strongest Man competition, Peña went to the gym and used lifting straps to successfully lock out 1,000 pounds. If the 2023 WSG contest employs a standard barbell, then Peña has already proven himself capable of matching Singleton’s record.
Even if Peña has not improved his deadlift performance in the past three years, an unlikely scenario, he would only need to add one pound to his personal record achieved in 2020 to break Singleton’s record. Under these circumstances, it seems less a question of whether Peña will make history and more a matter of by how much. The stage is set for Peña to cement his place in the annals of strength sports in Florida come September 2023.
Courtesy image @texastitangabe (Instagram)
