Australian Powerlifting Alliance

Sport	Powerlifting
Jurisdiction	Australia
Abbreviation	APA
Founded	2023 (2023)
Affiliation	IPF
Affiliation date	2024
Headquarters	Queensland, Australia
Chairperson	Abbi Bosward Fielding
Board members	Abbi Bosward Fielding, Ian Wood, Cathy Talley, Shaun Mitchell, Tim Martin, Thao Pham, Nathan Everett
Replaced	Australian Powerlifting Union
Official website
www.powerliftingalliance.org.au

The Australian Powerlifting Alliance (APA) is the Australian affiliate of the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF).

The APA was created on 07 December 2023^[1] after the Australian Powerlifting Union elected to cease affiliation with the IPF^[2] and was accepted as a provisional member at the 2024 IPF General Assembly.^[3]

The APA is a public company limited by guarantee.^[4]

The APA has a board of directors^[5] with 14x committees managing day-to-day business of the organisation:

• Sports Science, Sports Medicine
• Business Development
• Membership Services
• Competition Scheduling
• Qualifying & Progression Eligibility
• Technical Committee
• International Representation & Pathways
• Financial, Audit & Reporting
• Marketing & PR
• Digital Systems
• 2024 Nationals Committee
• Volunteer Program
• Coaching Committee
• Records and Results^[6]

The APA has affiliated clubs in 6 Australian States and Territories (all states & territories excluding the ACT).^[7]

The APA does not meet all Australian Sports Commission criteria for recognition as a National Sporting Organisation (NSO).^[8]

The APA is the recognised International Powerlifting Federation affiliate^[9] for Australia, as a successor to Powerlifting Australia and the Australian Powerlifting Union. The IPF is itself a recognised member of SportAccord, the successor organisation to the Global Association of International Sports Federations.

Australia is also a member of the IPF's Oceania region, and as such the APA is recognised as a member of the Oceania Regional Powerlifting Federation (ORPF).^[10]

Australia is a member of the Commonwealth, and as such the APA is a member of the Commonwealth Powerlifting Federation (CPF).

The first competition hosted by the APA was the "Real McCloy Bench Press Only", held at Penrith NSW on 17 February 2024.^[11]

The Australian Powerlifting Union did not host a national championship in 2023, meaning lifters had no pathway for qualification for international events in 2024. As a result, the APA scheduled the 2024 national championships earlier in the year to facilitate qualification for international events. Specific eligibility criteria were established for 2024 noting that the organisation had no history and lifters were moving into the APA from other federations.^[12] The first national competition was the 2024 National Series: Open Classic held at Newcastle, NSW on 01-03 March 2024. 137 lifters across all genders and weight classes participated.^[13]

The first APA team to represent Australia at an international competition consisted of 13 lifters (5 women and 8 men), who competed at the 2024 IPF World Bench Press Championships held at Austin Texas on 21 May - 1 June 2024.^[14]

The 2024 National championships were held in Newcastle NSW, with multiple events held across March - June 2024. The table below shows 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners from all 2024 National championship events. ^{[15][16][17][18]}

As a member of the IPF, the ORPF and the Commonwealth Powerlifting Federation (CPF), athletes in the APA may participate in regional and international competitions including:

• IPF World Classic Championships
• IPF World Equipped Championships
• IPF Junior (14-23) Championships
• IPF Masters (40+) Championships
• Oceania Regional Championships
• Commonwealth Championships
• The Arnold Sports Festival
• The FISU University Games

The following APA members hold world records in the IPF as at 26 November 2024:

• Rick Lewis - Men's Masters 3 120+kg Total - 712.5kg ^[19]
• Luke Talley - Men's Sub Junior 53kg Squat - 220.5kg ^[20]
• Luke Talley - Men's Junior 53kg Squat - 220.5kg ^[20]
• Luke Talley - Men's Sub Junior 53kg Bench Press - 130.5kg ^[20]
• Vicki Stamoulis - Women's Masters 4 84+kg Deadlift - 140.5kg ^[21]
• Peta Day - Women's Masters 3 84+kg Squat - 142kg ^[22]
• Natalie Laalaai - Women's Open 84+kg Deadlift - 273kg ^[23]

The following section contains external links to Australian media coverage of the Australian Powerlifting Alliance.

• Nathan Baxter GoFundMe: Former Aussie powerlifting champion hopes to make return after five strokes
• Talley bound for World Powerlifting Champs
• 72 year old Perth man Paul Kerin has become the new world champion powerlifter for his age group

• Women's powerlifting in Australia
• Powerlifting
• Australian Masters Games

• Australian Powerlifting Alliance
• International Powerlifting Federation
• Oceania Regional Powerlifting Federation
• Commonwealth Powerlifting Federation