Sherine Marcelle is one of the greatest powerlifters of all time, but she won’t be competing through the rest of 2022. Instead, per a June 6 post on her Instagram, the 90-kilogram athlete is taking time away from sanctioned lifting platforms to perfect her craft. With every new eye-opening feat on her social media, it seems the athlete’s training recalibration is going swimmingly.
On August 28, 2022, Marcelle shared an Instagram video of herself squatting 257.6 kilograms (568 pounds) raw for two reps while wearing a lifting belt and knee sleeves. The demonstration of leg strength is a new personal record (PR) for Marcelle and unofficially exceeds Amanda Lawrence’s Raw World Record in the 90-kilogram division by four pounds, set at the 2020 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Gainsgiving Open.
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According to the caption of Marcelle’s Instagram post, she originally intended only to do one rep of the heavy squat. However, because she “wasn’t a fan of the first rep,” the athlete decided to do another where she took the squat lower to challenge herself.
Super grateful for all of my peers today for being there for me more than I was for myself. This chapter is the one; this chapter defines me as an athlete and where I’m headed.
The look of apparent determination on Marcelle’s face as she weighs whether to do another rep might say it all about this strength achievement.
Full Steam Ahead
Even while she takes a break from formal competition, Marcelle does not seem to be slowing her ambitions down. The powerlifter has been steadily pushing herself in the gym with some rapid progress of late.
In late August, in a precursor to her latest leg power achievement, Marcelle captured a (249.9-kilogram) 551-pound squat for two reps. Just a couple of days before that, Marcelle completed a 229-kilogram (505-pound) deadlift PR without wearing a lifting belt. And in early June, the athlete notched a 297 kilogram (655-pound) squat with wraps — 6.8 kilograms (15 pounds) more than Crystal Tate’s current World Record.
Here’s an overview of Marcelle’s all-time raw competition bests:
Sherine Marcelle (90KG) | All-Time Raw Competition Bests
- Squat — 245 kilograms (540.1 pounds)
- Bench Press —127.5 kilograms (281.1 pounds)
- Deadlift — 227.5 kilograms (501.5 pounds) | Third-Heaviest Squat All-Time (90KG)
- Total — 592.5 kilograms (1,306.2 pounds)
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Whenever Marcelle does return to formal competition, it’s clear she’s preparing to put her best-loaded barbell forward. If the year 2022 might be about stepping back with intent for Marcelle, then the year 2023 could resent a flourish that makes the patience pay off.
Featured image: @sincerelysherine on Instagram
