Rowan O'Malley, the record-breaking 10-year-old powerlifter

His name is Rowan O'Malley. At just 10 yearsThis young Briton is considered to be the strongest child on the planet. Able to lift 127.5 kilos in the deadlift and 100 kilos in the squat, this precocious athlete works out intensively, four times a week. Let's discover this worldwide phenomenon.

A gifted powerlifter

Originally from Coventry, England, Rowan O'Malley is now considered the 10-year-old the strongest in the world.

He owes this title to his victory in a powerlifting junior organized in the United States (one of only three countries in the world where children under 12 can compete in this discipline).

Weighing 56 kilosthe young weightlifter managed to lift more than twice his body weight during the competition organized by USA Powerlifting (USAPL). Here are his results:

• Squat: 100 kilos
• Bench press: 57.5 kilos
• Deadlift: 127.5 kilos
• Total: 285 kilos

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After this performance, the Briton aims to return to the USAPL championships next year to set new records. An ambitious goal, for which he and those close to him are already looking for sponsors to finance the trip.

A passion for bodybuilding from an early age

He owes this first victory to his astonishing determination for such a young child. He also draws strength from a healthy, balanced family environment.

His father, Ben, works in the field of re-education and rehabilitation. fitness of people with injuries. He recounts how Rowan began accompanying him when he was barely walking, trying to replicate the patients' exercises.

"I would organize fitness activities and Rowan would try to copy the exercises. From the age of three or four, we knew he was going to be a motivated athlete. He wanted to be active, so we decided to help him train safely".

Ben O'Malley

Rowan O'Malley's passion for sport led him to start riding strength training without using weights. Once he had mastered the techniques, he began adding loads to his movements.

He now trains at the Barbell Training Complex in Warwick. Here he receives expert advice fromEliot Pageone of Britain's top powerlifters.

In addition to his weight training sessions, Rowan follows a normal school routine and does rugbya sport in which his ambition is to become a professional with his favorite team: Leicester Tigers.

On the side nutritionHere again, nothing is left to chance. He follows a high-level sportsman's diet, with 3,000 calories a day.

Rowan O'Malley in the spotlight

Following his victory and incredible performances, Rowan O'Malley began to attract attention. A media exposure that doesn't seem to disturb the young boy.

In addition to several articles in the British and American press, he has also been a guest on TV sets to tell his story.

A 10-year-old lifting weights: what to make of it?

On the web, many users are asking questions about the dangerous of strength training for such a young child. Some of them even accuse Rowan's father, Ben, of endangering his son's health by pushing him to train so hard.

Indeed, there are many preconceived ideas about the growth and bodybuilding. In fact, I dedicated an article on this subject on my blog.

For their part, Rowan's family defends themselves, claiming that his health comes before any notion of performance. They also insist that training the child has been designed to increase joint stability, strengthen bones and preserve the spine.

They claim that it stunts my growth, but I consulted a doctor who confirmed that this was not the case.

Rowan O'Malley

The O'Malley family would like to take advantage of this new visibility to demonstrate, through Rowan's social networksthat it's possible to train a child intelligently.

Conclusion

There has always been some debate about whether children and young teenagers should be involved in weight training. For his part, young Rowan O'Malley continues to demonstrate his tenacity in achieve your goalsin both athletic strength and rugby. We wish him all the best for the years to come.