Sunday, 30 April 2023

IPF Classic World Champs - 52kg class preview

Originally posted on IPF social media on 30th April 2023

Wow!  What a line up we have for you in the 52kg class on Day 1 of the World Classic Powerlifting Championships in beautiful Malta.  Returning world champion Noémie Allabert is looking for her third back to back world title but we have more than one re-match going on here so let's take a look at the nominations:


Evie Corrigan    NZL    460kg

Noémie Allabert   FRA   454kg

Pleun Dekkers    NED    429kg

Megan-Li Smith   NZL   424.5kg

Aleksandra Aranitovic   SRB   415kg


Evie Corrigan and Noémie Allabert met in battle for the first time at Sheffield a few weeks ago.  They've both been around for a good few years but this was the first time they had ended up in the same weight class.   They were neck and neck at the end but Allabert missed her final deadlift where Corrigan did not, giving Corrigan the victory, not just over Allabert, but the whole field.  This highlights perfectly the standard in this class that the top two here were also the top two at Sheffield.


However, Allabert has another fight on her hands.  At Worlds 2022, the squat world record was thrown around like a rag doll.  Allabert broke it twice but Dekkers ended up taking it home.  Allabert snagged the record for herself at Sheffield but you better believe that Dekkers is coming for it and will put up quite a fight to take back a record she has broken 7 times so far.


New Zealand fields two challengers in the 52kg class this year.  Smith has added more than 10kg to her total since we last saw her, winning her class at the Commonwealths.   She was 5th last year but if she wants to improve that this year, she will need to fend off fast-improving Aranitovic.  The Serbian lifter didn't have a great competition in Sun City, ending up in 8th place.  She's made a ton of improvements though and training looks to be flying so we are expecting her to make her mark this year.


Although she's not in the top 5 nominations, it's still worth keeping an eye out for Farhanna Farid of Singapore who is coming for the deadlift world record that Corrigan took from her at Sheffield.  You won't want to miss it!  Streamed live on the Olympic Channel and our Facebook page at 5pm CET on Sunday 11th June. 


Will Allabert make it 3 for 3 or is Corrigan top dog in the 52s now?  Who are you cheering for?  Let us know in the comments!


Graphic: @strength.journal







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