A competitive milestone seems inevitable for Muluh.
In powerlifting, some lifters have the ability to perform world record-adjacent feats during any run-of-the-mill workout or sanctioned competition. On March 15, 2023, Sonita Muluh provided a classic example of this power phenomenon when she 280-kilogram (617.3-pound) Raw Back Squat During a recent training session. Muluh wore wrist wraps, knee sleeves and a lifting belt for the squats.
Muluh’s huge lift is particularly notable as it is one kilogram (2.2 lb) above the all-time raw world record in the +90 kg weight class. According to open powerliftingThe current mark belongs to April Mathis, who squatted 278.9 kg (615 lb) at the 2011 American Powerlifting Federation (APF) Southern States. Muluh is a generic +84-kilogram powerlifter under the jurisdiction of the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF). That mark has proved untouchable for over a decade.
If Muluh wanted to transfer this squat number to IPF competition, it would 2.9 kg (6.4 lb) Exceeding Bonica Brown’s Raw IPF World Record in the +84 category. Brown squatted 273.5 kg (602.9 lb) in a 2022 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships performance and is renowned as one of the greatest powerlifters of all time with seven IPF World Titles (2014–2019, 2022).
With the respective +84-kilogram and +90-kilogram divisions having no concrete weight cap, there is also no built-in caveat to Muluh’s training achievement. This remains on par with Mathis and Brown for non-weight cap reasons.
Per open powerliftingHere’s an overview of Muluh’s all-time raw competition best. The athlete has competed only in the +84-kilogram weight category:
Sonita Muluh | All-Time Raw Championship Best
- clumsy – 270 kg (595.2 lb)
- bench press – 137.5 kg (303.1 lb)
- dead lift – 253.5 kg (558.9 lb)
- Total – 661 kg (1,457.2 lb)
At the time of publication of this article, Muluh has no plans for an upcoming competition. In a recent Instagram post, Muluh specifically mentioned his focus on reducing his body weight without mentioning a possible change in weight class.
“Being on a cutting diet and 2kg [4.4 pounds] down already at 120kg [264.5 pounds] Bodyweight and weights are still ongoing.
For the time being, it looks like the athlete will wait to potentially set a world record squat in competition. That said, Muluh’s competitive record is impressive, as the powerlifter has emerged victorious on eight out of 11 occasions. Muluh Raw is the defending European Powerlifting Federation (EPF) champion in the +84-kilogram division. She has fallen just once behind a competitive win in her six appearances in 2022 at the IPF World Championships in that round.
The future looks bright for Muluh, one of powerlifting’s established stars and names. It is a name that the sport can soon see comfortably in the international record books.
Featured Image: @sonita_ml on Instagram
