Ray Williams - Image Credit @optimusprime_334 Instagram
Ray Williams is a powerlifting legend known for his incredible strength and remarkable feats in the sport. He is best known for setting the heaviest raw squat record in history, which still stands to this day. Ray also competed at the 2023 Powerlifting America (AMP) Classic Open Nationals on February 24th, where he won his seventh national title, and cemented himself as a living icon of strength sports.
Ray Williams has been in the powerlifting scene for quite some time now, and his journey to the top has been remarkable. He started lifting weights at a young age and gradually progressed to powerlifting. His first major achievement came in 2013 when he won the USAPL Raw Nationals. Since then, he has won several national and international titles, including the IPF World Championship five times.
Ray Williams’ dedication to the sport is admirable, considering he has faced several setbacks, including injuries and other challenges. However, he has never given up and has always come back stronger. In the past few years, Ray has not been competing seriously due to his injuries, which has affected his performance. However, he has been working tirelessly to recover and regain his strength, and his recent win at the 2023 Powerlifting America Classic Open Nationals is a clear indication that he is back and ready to compete at the highest level.
At the 2023 Powerlifting America Classic Open Nationals, Ray competed in the +120-kilogram weight class and won with ease. Despite the absence of last year’s champion, Jesus Olivares, Ray put up an incredible show, demonstrating his immense strength and power. His performance was not as good as he would have liked, but he still won comfortably, which shows the extent of his dominance. Unfortunately, Ray did not manage to set any new competition PRs, as he is still not recovered fully.
Ray Williams’ lifts at the competition were impressive, with his squat being the standout performance once again. He managed to lift an incredible 435 kilograms (959 pounds), which is an astonishing feat considering that he is still recovering from injuries. His bench press was not as successful as he missed his third attempt at 230 kilograms (507 pounds). Nevertheless, he managed to lift an impressive 225 kilograms (496 pounds) on his second attempt. Moving on to the deadlift, Ray lifted 340 kilograms (749.5 pounds) on his second attempt, but failed to lift 355 kilograms (782.6 pounds) on his third attempt.
Squat
395 kilograms (870.8 pounds)
415 kilograms (914.9 pounds)
435 kilograms (959 pounds)
Competition PR: 490 kilograms (1,080.2 pounds) — 2019 USAPL Arnold SBD Pro American
Bench Press
215 kilograms (474 pounds)
225 kilograms (496 pounds)
(Unsuccessful) 230 kilograms (507 pounds)
Competition PR: 247.5 kilograms (545.6 pounds) — 2019 USAPL Arnold SBD Pro American
The 2023 AMP Classic Open Nationals were the 26th sanctioned powerlifting appearance for Ray Williams, and his 22nd victory. In light of Ray’s stats, it seems obvious that once he builds momentum, he is unbeatable. Therefore, it will be interesting to see what happens next.
Data Source: Open Powerlifting. Last Updated: August 17, 2023
Ray Williams has already achieved the status of a powerlifting legend, but he is still not finished with building his legacy. He is the closest that anyone has ever gotten to squatting 500 kilograms (1,102.3 pounds) raw. So, that might be one of his goals for the future.
Vedad is a lifelong fitness enthusiast, who is especially passionate about all things Strength related. Vedad loves to write about strength sports just as much as he likes to train. Worked hard to gain his knowledge, but is still in a constant chase for improvement.
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