Russel Orhii Powerlifting: Wrong Georgetown, Right Results In 93kg Bow
The Fresh Prince of Powerlifting, Russel Orhii, just defied the odds to break two world records in his 93kg debut.
Competing at the 2025 North American Powerlifting Federation (NAPF) Pan American Championships, Orhii set new all-time bests in both the squat and total.
The Texan stepped onto the platform in Georgetown, Cayman Islands, weighing in at 91.8kg, and shifted a perfect ten times his body weight across three lifts.
Despite the landmark first outing, Orhii’s prep couldn’t have gone much worse. Astonishingly, the 30-year-old flew into the wrong country ahead of the meet, which took place between July 27 and August 2.
Instead of landing in Georgetown, Cayman Islands, he booked a flight to Georgetown, Guyana — only realizing the error after he’d touched down.
“I just saw Georgetown and I booked it,” he sheepishly admitted in a recent vlog.
“I didn’t really think twice about it.”
One wrong Georgetown later, and he was jet-lagged, underfed, and scrambling to salvage his comp week prep.
Even so, Orhii managed to piece together a world record total, more than proving his credentials in the new weight class.
Russel Orhii Powerlifting: The World Record in Numbers
- Squat — 355.5 kilograms — World Record
- Bench Press — 207.5 kilograms
- Deadlift — 355 kilograms
- Total — 918 kilograms — World Record
Orhii went six for nine on attempts, locking out two of three lifts in each movement.
Speaking after the event, he thanked his coach Joseph Giovanni Ferratti, nutritionist Stephen Pham, and physical therapist Andy Nguyen.
“I got the job done but I know this is my floor,” he wrote on Instagram. “I can be so much better. This performance was amazing for different reasons, but it also lets me know what’s possible once I settle in. Sky’s the limit.
“The love I got at NAPF was incredible. I’m honored to have the support I have from the powerlifting community, and it’s always something I think about when I’m tirelessly working in the gym.
“Thank y’all for giving me this platform. It’s something I don’t take for granted.
“Now it’s time to focus on training for the rest of the year. I don’t want to compete next year. I want to show out.”
Russel Orhii Powerlifting: Switching Lanes
Orhii carved out a legendary powerlifting legacy at 83kg but announced earlier this year that he intended to move up a class.
His final meet at the lower weight saw him place fourth at the 2025 Sheffield Powerlifting Championships. Despite not topping the podium, he set world records in both the squat and total.
That performance earned him qualification for the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, which he declined to begin this new chapter.
If this meet was anything to go by, there’s plenty more to come from Russel Orhii powerlifting at 93kg — let’s just hope one of his team handles the travel arrangements next time.
