BABSON PARK, Fla. (July 26, 2018) – Taylor Atwood, a former football running back and 2011 graduate of Webber International University, recently brought home a gold medal at the IPF World Championship (Powerlifting) and broke a world record along the way.

The 2018 International Powerlifting Federation's World Classic Powerlifting Championships in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on June 17, 2018, represented the third appearance at the 74 kg Men's Open World Championship for Atwood, who finally took home the gold and broke the world record total. Additionally during the competition, Atwood briefly held the world squat record. He went 7/9 making lifts of 275.5 kg in the squat (silver), 190 kg in the bench press (gold), 292.5 kg in the deadlift (silver) and 758 kg/546 Wilks in total (gold).

The Warriors' all-time leader in career rushing yards with 2,352 yards, Atwood set the program's record for rushing yards in a single season with 873 yards as a freshman in 2007, a record that stood for six seasons. To date, he remains third on the Warriors' list of most rushing yards in a single season and is second in rushing yards per game in a single season at 97 yards per game. He is also second in rushing touchdowns in a season with 12, and is second in career all-purpose yards with 2,352 yards.

In January of 2014, Atwood, a Florida native and now four-time USAPL National Champion, signed up for coaching with a group called "The Strength Guys" and sought out to achieve his goal of winning the USAPL 74 kg Men's Open National Championship. In five months of training leading up to the competition he increased his total from 635 kg/1400 lbs to 687.5 kg/1515 lbs, and he achieved his goal of becoming the USA 74 kg National Powerlifting Champion.

In the lead-up to his next competition at the Arnold Classic in March. Atwood continued his fast progress as he achieved personal records in training of 600 lbs in the squat, 425 lbs in the bench press and 675 lbs in the deadlift within six weeks of the competition.

Shortly after the Arnold Classic, Atwood sustained a back injury which set him back for five months leading into the 2015 National Championship. However, Taylor continued to work hard to overcome detraining due to injury and passing out in the warm-up room 15 minutes prior to deadlifting 600 lbs to win his second National Championship.

In the lead up to his first World Championship appearance, Atwood was severely hindered in his ability to train the main lifts until 12 weeks out from the competition. After 12 weeks of training without issue, he took the stage on the world platform for the first time. After posting 255 kg's in the back squat and winning gold in the bench press with a successful attempt of 190 kg, Taylor had to make a 290 kg deadlift to win overall gold. The lift moved and the weight went up, but he was called on his ninth lift of the day for "soft knees" and was awarded the overall silver medal for his 722.5 kg total.

In 2017, Atwood again set his sights on the World Championship held in Minsk, Belarus. In the competition, he established a new world record of 265.5 kg on back squat for a brief moment before it was broken. Taylor ended his day with disappointment on bench press and deadlift and finished with a second consecutive silver medal with a 733 kg total. Shortly after, Taylor began preparing for the 2017 National Championship held in his home state of Florida, and with his family in attendance, he posted a 750 kg total.

2018 World Classic Powerlifting Championships Results and Statistics: https://www.powerlifting-ipf.com/championships/results/2018/world-classic-powerlifting-championships-2018.html