Local teen competes for USA Powerlifting Team at the world championship; sets world record

DRIGGS — A local teenager was invited to lift for the USA Powerlifting Team at the WPC World Powerlifting Championship and recently returned home from the competition in Durban, South Africa.

Colter Rammell, a sophomore at Teton High School in Driggs, was invited in October to compete at the world championships that took place this month. Colter’s dad, Greg, said there were 14 lifters on the USA team, including Colter, and that his son was “by far the youngest.”

“I enjoyed it. There was a lot of people there,” 15-year-old Colter said about the unique experience. “There was South Africa, Britain, Russia, Australia, Germany. … A lot of different people.”

Greg explained that at this competition, there were three different lifts to compete in — bench, squat and deadlift. He said his son excels at the bench, so they decided to focus on that.

“We were looking at the record book, and there was a kid years ago from England, and he was a stud. He set like every weight-lifting record there was. But we were looking and noticed that there was one weight he didn’t get for whatever reason,” Greg explained. “We saw that it was achievable.”

Typically Colter benches raw, meaning the lifter doesn’t use a supportive shirt and he relies solely on his own strength and technique to perform the lifts.

“Raw is what category he (usually) does, but equipped, it’s like you basically wear a compression shirt,” Greg mentioned. “We got the shirt and practiced four or five times, and he went down there, and Colter set a world record in that. That was pretty neat.”

Colter set a world record in the World Powerlifting Championship equipped single ply bench press at 90 kg. He also broke his own national record in the raw bench at 100 kg. His previous record was 95 kg.

“These are the strongest people in their countries and the world. These are the strongest of the strongest,” Colter said. “It was a bit intimidating.”

Colter, who has also done multiple bodybuilding competitions, began working out at the gym with his dad when he was in eighth grade. They spend time together going to the gym several days a week.

“I didn’t really enjoy playing football but I had to do something so I began really using calisthenics to get stronger — just push ups and squats,” Colter said. “I got to the point where I was so strong I was being told to start doing powerlifting.”

Greg added, “He’d be at the gym and a lot of people would say, ‘You’re really strong for how old you are. You really should try to compete and see if you can get some records.'”

That’s exactly what Colter did in South Africa and it’s an experience he’ll never forget. Greg is proud of his son and how hard he’s worked to get to where he is today.

“It’s pretty cool to watch him and … to see him progress and hit these big milestones and achievements,” Greg said.