Strength clearly runs in this powerlifting family.
Written by Robert Zeglinski
Pablo Olivares is the younger sibling of Jesus Olivares, the current owner of the all-time heaviest raw World Record total (1,152.5 kilograms/2,540.8 pounds) in powerlifting history. That means the athlete has a lot to live up to from an ambitious strength perspective. At the rate of the lesser-known Olivares’ training, he might not have much to worry about in this regard soon enough.
On May 16, 2023, Olivares posted a video to his Instagram profile where he captured a raw 400-kilogram (881.1-pound) squat during an intense training session. According to the caption of Olivares’ post, the lift is a personal record (PR) by five kilograms (11 pounds). Olivares used wrist wraps, knee sleeves, and a lifting belt to help him score the massive squat. It’s feats like this that evidently might put Olivares on a fast track to achieving milestones akin to those of his brother — who can be seen spotting him in the background of the clip.
While Olivares doesn’t have the same lofty profile as his World Record-holding brother — who is also the reigning two-time International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) raw World champion in the 120-kilogram (264-pound)-plus division — that doesn’t diminish what he’s accomplished to this stage of his career. Based on his precedent, monstrous squat PRs like this could only be scratching the surface of what he’s capable of at an individual level.
Here’s an overview of the younger Olivares’ all-time raw competition bests. The athlete has notably fluctuated from appearances in the 120-kilogram (264-pound)-plus, 124.3-kilogram (274-pound)-plus, and even 139.7-kilogram (308-pound)-plus divisions:
Pablo Olivares | All-Time Raw Competition Bests
- Squat — 380 kilograms (837.7 pounds)
- Bench Press — 215 kilograms (474 pounds)
- Deadlift — 340 kilograms (749.5 pounds)
- Total — 925 kilograms (2,039.3 pounds)
Some of the more noteworthy triumphs in Olivares’ powerlifting career include wins in the 2023 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Texas Strength Classic, the 2022 Powerlifting America (AMP) Nationals, and the 2021 USAPL Texas Open. Since September 2021, Olivares has lost a powerlifting competition just once in five appearances.
Based on a recent Instagram post from 2023, Olivares has aspirations of eventually squatting 422 kilograms (930 pounds) by the end of the calendar year. At this rate, even if he does have some work to do to catch up to his more decorated sibling, it doesn’t seem like Olivares is running into any insurmountable obstacles.
About Robert Zeglinski
Robert is a seasoned and adept editor and writer with a keen, passionate penchant for the writing craft. He’s been a leader in newsrooms such as SB Nation, USA TODAY, and WBBM Newsradio, with various other content and art production teams, and first made a name for himself in his hometown of Chicago. When not knee-deep in research or lost in a stream of consciousness for a thorough piece, you can find Robert inhaling yet another novel, journaling his heart out, or playing with his Shiba Inu, Maximus (Max, for short).