What does it take for an individual to set a world record in any sport? Training, focus, tenacity, and dedication? A supportive team?
Now multiply that times one hundred.
That is exactly what high school student Evan Pittman set out to do in late 2014 – to break 100 world powerlifting records. But what was unusual about Evan is his age; while several competitive masters powerlifters had broken more than 100 world records over decades of powerlifting competition, Evan wanted to become the only powerlifter in history to set 100 world records while still in high school.
Two years after setting his sights on the 100 world record goal, Evan achieved it in grand style — setting 11 WNPF world records at the 2016 WNPF World Powerlifting Championships in New Jersey, and winning both the 17-19 teen age group and the men’s open raw category, as well as three individual deadlift categories. Six months later, as a high school senior, he became the only competitive powerlifter in history to break national and world records in nine different weight classes (77 lbs., 88 lbs., 97 lbs., 105 lbs., 114 lbs., 123 lbs., 132 lbs., 148 lbs., and 165 lbs.), breaking five Elite Powerlifting Federation national records at the 2017 EPF nationals in Rhode Island, and later setting Amateur Athletic Union world records at the 2017 AAU Junior Olympic Games in Detroit.
Evan began doing the power lifts – the squat, bench press and deadlift – to become stronger and more explosive for taekwondo competition at age 10. Weighing just 75 lbs., he set an AAU national and world bench press record in his very first competition, the 2009 Junior Olympic Games in Des Moines, Iowa.
At age 13, Evan changed his sports focus from competitive taekwondo to springboard diving, but he continued his speed and strength training, and continued to break records in nearly every powerlifting competition he entered.
Over the years, Evan has competed without special equipment (known as raw competition), but he has also entered in divisions that allow equipment like squat suits, deadlift suits and bench shirts, to set more records. Several times he has entered multiple raw and equipped divisions in a single meet, while lifting without equipment.
To date, Evan has set 111 world records in nine weight classes in eight years of competitive powerlifting, and he is the only powerlifter to break national records in nine different weight classes. Some of his youth records have been broken by other lifters, but many still stand. He no longer tracks state or national records set in competition.
Evan has also set more than two dozen world and national records in the AAU strongman-style competition known as Feats of Strength and in All-Sports Combine competition.
Evan is a full-time student studying business at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He was recruited as a Division I Ivy League springboard diver in 2017, but left diving after the Brown Men’s Swimming and Diving team was suspended in 2018.
Evan’s World Powerlifting Records
Date | Meet | Location | Age | Wt. Class | Lift(s) | Total (lbs.) | |
1 | July 2009 | AAU JO Games | Des Moines | 10 | 77 lb. | Raw single-lift bench 10-11 | 61.73 |
2 | Nov 2009 | AAU Worlds | Myrtle Beach | 11 | 77 lb. | Equipped Squat 10-11 | 126.76 |
3 | Nov 2009 | AAU Worlds | Myrtle Beach | 11 | 77 lb. | Raw single-lift bench 10-11 | 68.34 |
4 | Nov 2009 | AAU Worlds | Myrtle Beach | 11 | 77 lb. | Equipped bench 10-11 | 68.34 |
5 | Nov 2009 | AAU Worlds | Myrtle Beach | 11 | 77 lb. | Raw deadlift 10-11 | 194 |
6 | Nov 2009 | AAU Worlds | Myrtle Beach | 11 | 77 lb. | Raw single-lift deadlift 10-11 | 194 |
7 | Nov 2009 | AAU Worlds | Myrtle Beach | 11 | 77 lb. | Equipped deadlift 10-11 | 194 |
8 | Nov 2009 | AAU Worlds | Myrtle Beach | 11 | 77 lb. | Equipped single-lift deadlift 10-11 | 194 |
9 | Nov 2009 | AAU Worlds | Myrtle Beach | 11 | 77 lb. | Raw 3-lift total 10-11 | 389.11 |
10 | Nov 2009 | AAU Worlds | Myrtle Beach | 11 | 77 lb. | Equipped 3-lift total 10-11 | 389.11 |
11 | July 2010 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 11 | 88 lb. | Raw squat 10-11 | 156.53 |
12 | July 2010 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 11 | 88 lb. | Equipped squat 10-11 | 156.53 |
13 | July 2010 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 11 | 88 lb. | Equipped bench 10-11 | 71.65 |
14 | July 2010 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 11 | 88 lb. | Raw deadlift 10-11 | 225.97 |
15 | July 2010 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 11 | 88 lb. | Raw single-lift deadlift 10-11 | 225.97 |
16 | July 2010 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 11 | 88 lb. | Equipped deadlift 10-11 | 225.97 |
17 | July 2010 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 11 | 88 lb. | Equipped single-lift deadlift 10-11 | 225.97 |
18 | July 2010 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 11 | 88 lb. | Raw 3-lift total 10-11 | 454.15 |
19 | July 2010 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 11 | 88 lb. | Equipped 3-lift total 10-11 | 454.15 |
20 | July 2011 | AAU JO Games | New Orleans | 12 | 97 lb. | Equipped squat 12-13 | 187.39 |
21 | July 2011 | AAU JO Games | New Orleans | 12 | 97 lb. | Raw single-lift bench 12-13 | 93.7 |
22 | July 2011 | AAU JO Games | New Orleans | 12 | 97 lb. | Equipped single-lift bench 12-13 | 93.7 |
23 | July 2011 | AAU JO Games | New Orleans | 12 | 97 lb. | Equipped bench 12-13 | 93.7 |
24 | July 2011 | AAU JO Games | New Orleans | 12 | 97 lb. | Raw single-lift deadlift 12-13 | 236.99 |
25 | July 2011 | AAU JO Games | New Orleans | 12 | 97 lb. | Equipped single-lift deadlift 12-13 | 236.99 |
26 | July 2011 | AAU JO Games | New Orleans | 12 | 97 lb. | Raw deadlift 12-13 | 236.99 |
27 | July 2011 | AAU JO Games | New Orleans | 12 | 97 lb. | Equipped deadlift 12-13 | 236.99 |
28 | July 2011 | AAU JO Games | New Orleans | 12 | 97 lb. | Equipped total 12-13 | 518.08 |
29 | Nov 2011 | AAU Worlds | Orlando | 13 | 105 lb. | Equipped deadlift 12-13 | 242.51 |
30 | Nov 2011 | AAU Worlds | Orlando | Open | 105 lb. | Raw squat | 192.9 |
31 | Nov 2011 | AAU Worlds | Orlando | Open | 105 lb. | Equipped squat | 192.9 |
32 | Nov 2011 | AAU Worlds | Orlando | Open | 105 lb. | Raw bench | 101.41 |
33 | Nov 2011 | AAU Worlds | Orlando | Open | 105 lb. | Equipped bench | 101.41 |
34 | Nov 2011 | AAU Worlds | Orlando | Open | 105 lb. | Raw deadlift | 242.51 |
35 | Nov 2011 | AAU Worlds | Orlando | Open | 105 lb. | Equipped deadlift | 242.51 |
36 | Nov 2011 | AAU Worlds | Orlando | Open | 105 lb. | Raw total | 534.62 |
37 | Nov 2011 | AAU Worlds | Orlando | Open | 105 lb. | Equipped total | 534.62 |
38 | June 2012 | 100% Raw American Challenge | North Carolina | 13 | 114 | Raw squat 12-13 | 220.4 |
39 | July 2012 | AAU JO Games | Houston | 13 | 114 | Raw squat 12-13 | 231.48 |
40 | July 2012 | AAU JO Games | Houston | 13 | 114 | Raw deadlift 12-13 | 294.31 |
41 | July 2012 | AAU JO Games | Houston | 13 | 114 | Single-lift raw deadlift 12-13 | 294.31 |
42 | July 2012 | AAU JO Games | Houston | 13 | 114 | Single-lift equipped deadlift 12-13 | 294.31 |
43 | July 2012 | AAU JO Games | Houston | 13 | 114 | Raw total 12-13 | 647.05 |
44 | Jan 2013 | AAU Worlds | Richmond | 14 | 123 | Single-lift raw deadlift 14-15 | 330.69 |
45 | Jan 2013 | AAU Worlds | Richmond | 14 | 123 | Single-lift equipped deadlift 14-15 | 330.69 |
46 | June 2013 | 100% Raw American Challenge | Omaha | 14 | 132 | Single-lift raw deadlift 14-15 | 365 |
47 | July 2013 | AAU JO Games | Detroit | 14 | 132 | Raw squat 14-15 | 281.09 |
48 | July 2013 | AAU JO Games | Detroit | 14 | 132 | Single-lift equipped deadlift 14-15 | 341.71 |
49 | July 2013 | AAU JO Games | Detroit | 14 | 132 | Raw total 14-15 | 777.12 |
50 | Nov 2013 | AAU Worlds | Las Vegas | 15 | 132 | Raw squat 14-15 | 299.83 |
51 | Nov 2013 | AAU Worlds | Las Vegas | 15 | 132 | Raw deadlift 14-15 | 370.37 |
52 | Nov 2013 | AAU Worlds | Las Vegas | 15 | 132 | Single-lift raw deadlift 14-15 | 370.37 |
53 | Nov 2013 | AAU Worlds | Las Vegas | 15 | 132 | Single-lift equipped deadlift 14-15 | 370.37 |
54 | Nov 2013 | AAU Worlds | Las Vegas | 15 | 132 | Raw total 14-15 | 835.54 |
55 | Jan 2014 | RPS Florida Record-Breakers | Fort Lauderdale | 15 | 148 | Raw modern squat 14-15 | 305 |
56 | Jan 2014 | RPS Florida Record-Breakers | Fort Lauderdale | 15 | 148 | Raw modern bench 14-15 | 175 |
57 | Jan 2014 | RPS Florida Record-Breakers | Fort Lauderdale | 15 | 148 | Raw modern deadlift 14-15 | 360 |
58 | Jan 2014 | RPS Florida Record-Breakers | Fort Lauderdale | 15 | 148 | Raw modern total 14-15 | 840 |
59 | July 2014 | AAU JO Games | Des Moines | 15 | 132 | Raw squat 14-15 | 308.64 |
60 | July 2014 | AAU JO Games | Des Moines | 15 | 132 | Single-lift equipped bench 14-15 | 181.88 |
61 | July 2014 | AAU JO Games | Des Moines | 15 | 132 | Single-lift raw bench 14-15 | 181.88 |
62 | July 2014 | AAU JO Games | Des Moines | 15 | 132 | Raw deadlift 14-15 | 385.8 |
63 | July 2014 | AAU JO Games | Des Moines | 15 | 132 | Single-lift raw deadlift 14-15 | 385.8 |
64 | July 2014 | AAU JO Games | Des Moines | 15 | 132 | Single-lift equipped deadlift 14-15 | 385.8 |
65 | July 2014 | AAU JO Games | Des Moines | 15 | 132 | Raw total 14-15 | 876.33 |
66 | Sep 2014 | RPS Worlds | Newark | 15 | 132 | Raw classic squat 14-15 | 310 |
67 | Sep 2014 | RPS Worlds | Newark | 15 | 132 | Raw classic deadlift 14-15 | 360 |
68 | Sep 2014 | RPS Worlds | Newark | 15 | 132 | Raw classic total 14-15 | 850 |
69 | Sep 2014 | RPS Worlds | Newark | 15 | 132 | Raw modern squat 14-15 | 310 |
70 | Sep 2014 | RPS Worlds | Newark | 15 | 132 | Raw modern bench 14-15 | 180 |
71 | Sep 2014 | RPS Worlds | Newark | 15 | 132 | Raw modern deadlift 14-15 | 360 |
72 | Sep 2014 | RPS Worlds | Newark | 15 | 132 | Raw modern total 14-15 | 850 |
73 | Sep 2014 | RPS Worlds | Newark | 15 | 132 | Single-ply squat 14-15 | 310 |
74 | Sep 2014 | RPS Worlds | Newark | 15 | 132 | Single-ply deadlift 14-15 | 360 |
75 | Sep 2014 | RPS Worlds | Newark | 15 | 132 | Multi-ply deadlift 14-15 | 360 |
76 | Nov 2014 | WNPF Worlds | Atlanta | 16 | 148 | Raw classic squat 13-16 | 315 |
77 | Nov 2014 | WNPF Worlds | Atlanta | 16 | 148 | Raw classic deadlift 13-16 | 400 |
78 | Nov 2014 | WNPF Worlds | Atlanta | 16 | 148 | Raw classic total 13-16 | 890 |
79 | Nov 2014 | WNPF Worlds | Atlanta | 16 | 148 | Raw squat 13-16 | 315 |
80 | Nov 2014 | WNPF Worlds | Atlanta | 16 | 148 | Raw bench 13-16 | 185 |
81 | Nov 2014 | WNPF Worlds | Atlanta | 16 | 148 | Raw deadlift 13-16 | 400 |
82 | Nov 2014 | WNPF Worlds | Atlanta | 16 | 148 | Raw total 13-16 | 890 |
83 | Nov 2014 | WNPF Worlds | Atlanta | 16 | 148 | Single-lift raw squat 13-16 | 315 |
84 | May 2015 | USPF Nationals | Las Vegas | 16 | 148 | Raw squat 16-17 | 336.2 |
85 | May 2015 | USPF Nationals | Las Vegas | 16 | 148 | Raw bench 16-17 | 203.92 |
86 | May 2015 | USPF Nationals | Las Vegas | 16 | 148 | Raw deadlift 16-17 | 385.8 |
87 | May 2015 | USPF Nationals | Las Vegas | 16 | 148 | Raw total 16-17 | 925.94 |
88 | May 2015 | USPF Nationals | Las Vegas | 16 | 148 | Single-lift bench 16-17 | 203.92 |
89 | May 2015 | USPF Nationals | Las Vegas | 16 | 148 | Single-lift deadlift 16-17 | 385.8 |
90 | Aug 2015 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 16 | 148 | Raw squat 16-17 | 363.76 |
91 | Aug 2015 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 16 | 148 | Single-lift raw deadlift 16-17 | 443.1 |
92 | Aug 2015 | AAU JO Games | Hampton Roads | 16 | 148 | Single-lift equipped deadlift 16-17 | 443.1 |
93 | Nov 2015 | WPF Worlds | Minneapolis | 17 | 148 | Raw Squat 16-17 | 374.8 |
94 | Nov 2015 | WPF Worlds | Minneapolis | 17 | 148 | Single-lift raw bench 16-17 | 220.5 |
95 | Nov 2015 | WPF Worlds | Minneapolis | 17 | 148 | Single-lift raw deadlift 16-17 | 451.9 |
96 | Nov 2015 | WPF Worlds | Minneapolis | 17 | 148 | Raw deadlift 16-17 | 451.9 |
97 | Nov 2015 | WPF Worlds | Minneapolis | 17 | 148 | Raw Total 16-17 | 1047.2 |
98 | Nov 2016 | WNPF Worlds | Bordentown, NJ | 18 | 148 | Raw Squat 17-19 | 395 |
99 | Nov 2016 | WNPF Worlds | Bordentown, NJ | 18 | 148 | Raw Squat Men’s Open | 395 |
100 | Nov 2016 | WNPF Worlds | Bordentown, NJ | 18 | 148 | Raw Bench 17-19 | 235 |
101 | Nov 2016 | WNPF Worlds | Bordentown, NJ | 18 | 148 | Raw Bench Men’s Open | 235 |
102 | Nov 2016 | WNPF Worlds | Bordentown, NJ | 18 | 148 | Raw Deadlift 17-19 | 485 |
103 | Nov 2016 | WNPF Worlds | Bordentown, NJ | 18 | 148 | Raw Deadlift Men’s Open | 485 |
104 | Nov 2016 | WNPF Worlds | Bordentown, NJ | 18 | 148 | Raw Total 17-19 | 1115 |
105 | Nov 2016 | WNPF Worlds | Bordentown, NJ | 18 | 148 | Raw Total Men’s Open | 1115 |
106 | Nov 2016 | WNPF Worlds | Bordentown, NJ | 18 | 148 | Raw Single-Lift Deadlift 17-19 | 485 |
107 | Nov 2016 | WNPF Worlds | Bordentown, NJ | 18 | 148 | Raw Single-Lift Deadlift Men’s Open | 485 |
108 | Nov 2016 | WNPF Worlds | Bordentown, NJ | 18 | 148 | Equipped Single-Lift Deadlift 17-19 | 485 |
109 | Aug 2017 | AAU JO Games | Detroit, MI | 18 | 165 | Equipped Single-Lift Bench Press 18-19 | 248 |
110 | Aug 2017 | AAU JO Games | Detroit, MI | 18 | 165 | Raw Single-Lift Deadlift 18-19 | 509.26 |
111 | Aug 2017 | AAU JO Games | Detroit, MI | 18 | 165 | Equipped Single-Lift Deadlift 18-19 | 509.26 |