Competing at the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Powerlifting Championships in Sun City last month, the Singaporean athlete successfully lifted 273kg. This surpassed the previous world record mark of 271kg.
Hazrul, a second-year Architectural Technology and Building Services student at Temasek Polytechnic, finished second overall in his weight category. He registered a total lift of 613 kg, which comprised a 220 kg squat, a 120 kg bench press and his record-breaking 273kg deadlift.
This performance came after Hazrul overcame significant physical adversity at the start of the competition. One of his squat attempts was disqualified for not being low enough. During warm-ups, Hazrul suffered severe cramps in his calves and arms. According to Daily Newshe vomited after his opening 260kg deadlift attempt. Despite these setbacks, he returned to the platform for his final attempt and successfully surpassed the world record.
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Hazrul Abdul Malik competes at the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Powerlifting Championships. Photo by Instagram/@hazrulifts |
The resilience that Hazrul displayed in South Africa stems from an athletic journey that began with a disappointment.
Hazrul turned to the weights in 2022 after failing to make his secondary school’s football team. A senior lifter spotted his potential at a local gym and introduced him to a professional coach, AsiaOne reported.
He began competing formally in 2024, winning his debut local competition before taking second place at the Singapore National Championships.
He later represented Singapore at the Asian championships, where he finished sixth overall and captured gold in the deadlift. At the 2025 Singapore National Championships, he again finished second, losing to an athlete he had previously trained, a defeat he credited as motivation to push his limits further.
To fund his sporting ambitions, Hazrul works part-time at Anytime Fitness to cover his training and competition expenses.
“Although my mother has always offered to cover the expenses of the sport, I often turn her down,” he said, as quoted by Daily News. “This effort is not just about training at the gym. I also work to earn enough money to pursue this dream.”
Hazrul was one of six Singaporean athletes aged between 18 and 23 competing at the 2026 world championships. Following his world record performance, he plans to continue balancing his studies and work while aiming for the national championship title in the Junior Under-74kg category.