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Sport: SKEMA student sets new university powerlifting record with a 310 kg deadlift
Yanis Halabi, a student in SKEMA Business School’s Master in Management (PGE) programme on the Grand Paris campus, has claimed second place at the French national university championships in powerlifting. In doing so, he shattered a long-standing record in the deadlift event.
Every year, SKEMA students stand out in a wide range of sports – a reflection of the school’s rich diversity of talent. This year, it was Yanis Halabi who made headlines. Competing in the under 105 kg category, he represented SKEMA at the national university powerlifting championships.
I’m proud to have represented SKEMA Business School in this competition. I’m grateful for the support I received
A rigorous discipline where raw strength meets precision
Powerlifting includes three distinct movements: the squat, the bench press and the deadlift. Yanis delivered a solid performance across all three, lifting 210 kg in the squat (with a 225 kg attempt narrowly ruled invalid), 135 kg in the bench press, and finishing with a remarkable 310 kg deadlift – breaking the French university record, which had stood at 285 kg for the past two years. His total earned him second place nationally.
Not to be confused with Olympic weightlifting
Unlike Olympic weightlifting, which focuses on explosive, high-speed movements like the snatch and clean and jerk, powerlifting emphasises control, form and maximal strength. The movements may appear simple, but they demand deep concentration and technical consistency. It’s a test of strength as much as discipline. “This result is the outcome of months of unseen effort – thousands of repetitions and a daily commitment to progress,” Yanis shared. “Powerlifting shapes both the body and the mind.”
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