132-pound teen from Utah sets new world record for deadlifting

Drake Slattery, a 16-year-old at American Fork High School (Utah), has set a new world record for deadlifting.

Checking in at just 132 pounds, Slattery set a new record in his weight class by deadlifting 423 pounds at the 2023 United States Powerlifting Nationals on July 10 in Las Vegas.

Slattery told Heather W. Smith at ABC4 Utah that he practices 4-6 times a week, but he also has other interests, including skiing, which is what inspired him to get into weightlifting in the first place.

“”There was just something about it, it was different. It felt special to me… Every time I would accomplish something like a new max or a new something or I was able to rep a weight more than I was able to in the past, it made me feel a sense of accomplishment, and it really helped with my self-esteem and helped me feel a lot better about myself.”

Next up, Slattery will be competing this fall in London, where he’ll attempt to break his own deadlifting record by going for 450 pounds, then he’ll go for the Junior Squat World Record.

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