IPF World Open Classic Powerlifting Championships 2023: Full competition schedule, key competitors, and how to watch the action live on Olympic Channel

Powerlifters have converged in Malta for what’s being dubbed the 'largest and most diverse participation in any Open Classic World Championship in IPF history' from June 11-18 in Valletta.

There are world record holders and the best from the powerlifting world confirmed for the 2023 edition, across the 16 men and women's weight classes.

The Olympic Channel will stream the competition live via Olympics.com as it happens.

Here is a quick guide on the top lifters competing, the classes of events to follow and some of the favourites for medals at the IPF World Open Classic Powerlifting Championships 2023.

What is the World Open Classic Powerlifting Championships?

Classic Powerlifting also known as Raw Powerlifting focusses more on strength, unlike in Equipped where the lifters are adjudged on strength combined with technique and correct usage of the equipment.

In Classic Powerlifting, the lifters are only allowed to use knee sleeves to support them while squatting.

At the 2023 World Championships in Malta, 221 male lifters will compete in eight men's categories, while 180 female competitors are also spread out across eight women's classes. The men’s competition ranges from 59kg to +120kg while women line-up from -47kg to over 84kg.

Athletes to watch at the IPF World Open Classic Powerlifting Championships Malta 2023

The men’s focus will be on the -105kg class where defending champion Emil Norling goes in as favourite against Ukraine’s double world classic champion Anatolii Novopismennyi.

There’s also Libyan Mohamed Abdulla Mohamed Ahmeed who just missed the podium last year and has a personal best of 915kg. That's the closest to Norling’s massive combined Swedish record of 928 from the SM Klassic last February.

Norling, who is 25-years-old, is seen as a potential world record holder. He squatted a huge 337.5kg, 211kg of bench press and managed 380 kg of deadlift.

Keep an eye on Americans Brian Lee in the 66kg, and the -74kg leader Taylor Atwood, the three-time world champion.

Lee is fresh from some impressive lifts at March’s 2023 Powerlifting America Classic National Championships.

His 318.5kg deadlift that earned him a total of 713.5kg could have been world record had the event in Austin been an international one.

Last year's winner Atwood, who holds multiple national records, will be out to prove why he is considered one of America’s greatest powerlifters of all time.

As always, the women’s 57kg is bound to be a big draw.

It has two-time European winner Jade Jacob, one of the world record breakers from last month’s IPF Sheffield championships.

The French lifter, second at the world’s last year, will line up against other potential podium finishers including Bobbie Butters of GB, the Sport and Science lecturer who is also a former world record holder, and fast rising Natalie Richards of USA.

Richards became the first American to total over 500kg at 57kg. Her best of 175kg in squat, 105 in bench press, and 221.5 in the deadlift were the heaviest in U.S. powerlifting history.

One name that is missing from this weight class is Joy Nnamani who has stepped up to the -63k weight class. The British world champion will be up against last year’s winner, Carola Garra and compatriot Chiara Bernardi, the Italian and European champion.

The other event to watch closely is the women's -76kg where "The Canadian Forklift" Jessica Buettner could potentially claim another gold. The four-time world champion continues to impress despite her diabetic condition.

But it’s New Zealand’s Karlina Tongotea who leads the deep field of 26 in this weight class with her personal best total of 600kg.

What is the lifting schedule at the World Open Classic Powerlifting Championships Malta 2023?

(All local timings in CEST, which is GMT/UTC+2)

Sunday, 11 June

• 09:00 –12:00 Men 59kg
• 13:00 –16:00 Women 47kg
• 17:00 – 21:00 Women 52kg

Monday, 12 June

• 10:00 –13:00 Men 66kg B-Group
• 14:30 – 18:00 Women 57kg B-Group
• 19:00 – 22:00 Men 66kg A-Group
• 19:00 – 22:00 Women 57kg A-Group

Tuesday, 13 June

• 10:00 – 13:00 Women 63kg B-Group
• 14:00 – 18:30 Men 74kg B-Group
• 19:00 – 22:00 Women 63kg A-Group
• 19:00 – 22:00 Men 74kg A-Group

Thursday, 15 June

• 09:00 – 12:00 Women 69kg B-Group
• 13:00 – 18:00 Men 83kg B-Group
• 19:00 – 22:00 Women 69kg A-Group
• 19:00 – 22:00 Men 83kg A-Group

Friday, 16 June

• 09:00 – 12:00 Women 76kg B-Group
• 13:00 – 19:00 Men 93kg B-Group
• 20:00 – 23:00 Women 76kg B-Group
• 20:00 – 23:00 men 93kg A- Group

Saturday, 17 June

• 08:00 – 12:00 Men 105kg B-Group
• 12:30 – 16:00 Men 120kg B-Group
• 16:30 – 19:30 Women 84kg
• 20:00 – 23:00 Men 105kg A-Group
• 20:00 – 23:00 Men 120kg A-Group

Sunday, 18 June

• 10:30 – 14:00 Women 84+kg B Group
• 10:30 – 14:00 Men 120+kg B Group
• 15:00 – 18:00 Women 84+kg A Group
• 15:00 – 18:00 Men 120+kg A Group

How to watch the 2023 World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships from Valleta, Malta.

Olympic Channel will stream all the events live via Olympics.com right here. Full session replays and highlights will also be available.

In Europe, Eurosport will also broadcast two Prime Time sessions lives, as well as showing highlight packages that will cover the entire event.