Andy Bolton

Ipswich, UK

Last updated 8/27/2026

Andy Bolton became the first person in recorded history to deadlift 1,000 pounds in competition, achieving the milestone in 2006, a barrier that had long been considered a nearly mythical benchmark within the powerlifting community before Bolton finally broke through it. His specialization in the deadlift specifically, rather than pursuing an all-around total across all three competitive lifts, reflected a deliberate competitive strategy that let Bolton focus his training on maximizing the single lift where he held the most significant genetic and technical advantages. Bolton's 1,000-pound deadlift became one of the most widely celebrated individual achievements in strength sports history, drawing attention well beyond powerlifting's typically niche competitive audience given the milestone's genuinely historic significance. His status as the first person to achieve the sport's most mythologized numerical milestone has made Bolton one of the most historically significant figures in powerlifting, and his 1,000-pound deadlift remains a frequently referenced benchmark even as subsequent lifters have since surpassed his specific number.

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