WC alum Jalen Davenport finishes second at national powerlifting meet

Published 12:08 pm Monday, April 17, 2023

Jalen Davenport performed quite a few feats of strength over the weekend.

Davenport, a member of Blue Mountain College’s powerlifiting team and a Warren Central alum, finished second in the 220-pound equipped weight class at the USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals Saturday in Arlington, Texas.

Davenport lifted a total of 1,817 pounds in the squat, bench press and deadlift. Jaime Rios of Texas-San Antonio won the national title with a total of 1,862 pounds.

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Davenport lifted 765 pounds in the squat, 402 in the bench press, and 650 in the deadlift. He went for an American college record of 806 pounds on the last of his three squat attempts but couldn’t get it.

Davenport beat Rios in the squat and deadlift, but Rios benched 507 pounds to gain all the cushion he needed in their head-to-head duel.

UTSA’s Caleb Esparza finished third, with a total of 1,796 pounds.

Nineteen lifters competed in the 220-pound equipped weight class. The “equipped” classification means lifters are allowed to use knee wraps, a squat suit, and a bench shirt in addition to the items allowed by “raw” competitors. Raw lifters are permitted to use only an approved weight belt, an approved singlet, approved wrist wraps, and chalk.

Blue Mountain finished third in the team standings in the male equipped competition, with 57 points. Midland University and UTSA tied for first, with 71 points each, but Midland took the national title on a tiebreaker.