The world’s best bench pressers will gather in Austin, TX.

Last updated on May 15th, 2024

The International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) 2024 Bench Press World Championships (WBC) will be held in Austin, TX, from May 22 — June 1, 2024. Around one thousand athletes will travel to Austin to compete in an eleven-day extravaganza dedicated to the noble art of bench press. 

The contest is supported by Eleiko, which will host an athlete village at its USA headquarters in Austin. The village will comprise a training hall, vendor stands, food trucks, and fika (a Swedish tradition of sharing coffee and cake).

The event begins with six days of classic bench press and concludes with five days of equipped. Each day, the masters (age 40+) will lift first, followed by the sub-Juniors (age 14-18) and Juniors (age 19-23), and the open category lifters will complete the day.

[Related: The 8 Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders of 2024, Tested by Our Experts]

Athletes to Watch

• Kostiantyn Musiienko (93KG) — highest-ranked equipped lifter in IPF
• Daiki Kodama (83KG) — 22 time world champion
• Ivan Chuprynko (74KG) — six-time world champion
• Rhaea Stinn (84KG) — seven-time world champion & World Games gold medallist
• Hildeborg Hugdal (84+KG) — biggest female bench press in the IPF
• Matilda Hjälle (84+KG) — 2023 best lifter

[Related: A Guide to the Best Pre-Workouts in 2024, Tested and RD Approved]

Author’s Note: All times are CDT. The schedule is subject to change. All sessions will be available for free on the IPF’s YouTube channel.

Classic Bench Press

Below is the schedule for raw lifters:

Wednesday, May 22 — Women 43KG – 52KG & Men 53KG – 66KG 

• Masters Men — 9:30 a.m.
• Masters Women — 12.00 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Men — 1.00 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Women — 4.00 p.m.
• Opening Ceremony — 5.30 p.m.
• Open Men & Women — 6.00 p.m.

Thursday, May 23 — Women 57KG & Men 74KG

• Masters Women — 12.00 p.m.
• Masters Men — 1.30 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Women — 3.30 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Men — 4.30 p.m..
• Open Men & Women — 6.00 p.m.

Friday, May 24 — Women 63KG & Men 83KG

• Masters Men — 10:30 a.m.
• Masters Women — 1.00 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Men — 3.00 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Women — 4.30 p.m.
• Open Men & Women — 6.00 p.m.

Saturday, May 25 — Women 69KG & Men 93KG

• Masters Women — 10.00 a.m.
• Masters Men — 12.00 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Women — 2.00 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Men — 3.00 p.m..
• Open Men & Women — 6.00 p.m. — Broadcast live on CBS Sports

Sunday, May 26 — Women 76KG – 84KG & Men 105KG

• Masters Men — 9:00 a.m.
• Masters Women — 11.30 a.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Men — 2.00 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Women — 3.00 p.m.
• Open Women 76KG  — 4.30 p.m.
• Open Men & Women 84KG — 6.00 p.m. — Broadcast live on CBS Sports

Monday, May 27 — Women 84+KG & Men 120KG – 120+KG

• Masters Women — 9.00 a.m.
• Masters Men 120KG — 10.30 a.m.
• Masters Men 120+KG — 12.30 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Men & Women — 2.30 p.m.
• Open Men 120KG — 4.30 p.m.
• Open Men 120+KG & Women — 6.00 p.m. — Broadcast live on CBS Sports

Equipped Bench Press

Below is the schedule for equipped lifters:

Tuesday, May 28 — Women 43KG – 52KG & Men 53KG – 66KG 

• Masters Men — 10:30 a.m.
• Masters Women — 12.30 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Men — 2.30 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Women — 4.30 p.m.
• Open Men & Women — 6.00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 29 — Women 57KG – 63KG & Men 74KG – 83KG

• Masters Women — 9.00 a.m.
• Masters Men 74KG — 11.00 a.m.
• Masters Men 83KG — 12.30 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Women — 3.00 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Men — 4.30 p.m..
• Open Men & Women — 6.00 p.m.

Thursday, May 30 — Women 69KG & Men 93KG 

• Masters Men — 12:30 p.m.
• Masters Women — 2.30 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Men & Women — 4.00 p.m.
• Open Men & Women — 6.00 p.m. — Broadcast live on CBS Sports

Friday, May 31 — Women 76KG – 84KG & Men 105KG

• Masters Women — 10.00 a.m.
• Masters Men — 12.30 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Men & Women — 2.30 p.m.
• Open Women 76KG — 4.30 p.m..
• Open Men & Women 84KG — 6.00 p.m. — Broadcast live on CBS Sports

Saturday, June 1 — Women 84+KG & Men 120KG – 120+KG

• Masters Men — 9.30 a.m.
• Masters Women — 12.30 p.m.
• Sub-Junior & Junior Men & Women — 2.00 p.m.
• Open Men 120KG — 4.00 p.m..
• Open Men 120+KG & Women — 6.00 p.m. — Broadcast live on CBS Sports

The full roster with nominated totals is available on Goodlift. Watch live on the IPF YouTube channel.

Featured image: @theipf on Instagram