Kula competed in the equipped powerlifting category at the UK Arnold

Last updated on May 14th, 2024

Polish powerlifter Zuzanna Kula isn’t long out of the Juniors and has already made a name for herself in the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Open category. She brought home the silver medal from the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, AL, and followed up with a win at the IPF equipped world title in Viborg, Denmark, the same year.

Kula suffered an ACL injury in 2023, which required surgery. She returned to the competitive lifting platform in style at the Arnold Sports Festival UK on March 16, 2024, breaking the IPF’s 57KG-class equipped bench press world record with a phenomenal 161 kilograms. Take a look at the lift below, courtesy of the IPF Instagram page:

The IPF’s equipped division allows single-ply bench shirts. Kula is an expert in their use. The shirt’s dense fabric heavily restricts the arms’ movement and resists the lifter’s attempts to lower the barbell to the chest.

Kula controlled the descent well and kept her chest high. The bar path was wobbly, but Kula pressed it to lockout successfully and was rewarded with three white lights from the referees.

2024 Arnold Sports Festival Results — Zuzanna Kula (Poland), 57KG

• Squat
  • 167.5 kilograms
  • 175 kilograms
  • 180 kilograms
• Bench Press
  • 156.5 kilograms
  • 161 kilograms — IPF Open World Record
  • 166 kilograms
• Deadlift
  • 167.5 kilograms
  • 172.5 kilograms
  • 177.5 kilograms
• Total — 513.5 kilograms

Kula won the overall silver medal and 1,500 Euros in prize money — a great comeback performance. She is not on the 2024 European Powerlifting Federation (EPF) European Equipped Championships roster.

Kula is expected to compete at the 2024 IPF World Equipped Championships in Reykjavik, Iceland, since it’s a qualifying event for the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China.

Kula was the first Polish woman to win a medal for powerlifting at The World Games, so it’s a sure bet that she will do everything possible to return.

Featured image: @theipf on Instagram