Author: Jo Whiteley
Kosei Yokoyama competed at his first international competition at the Asian Bench Press Championships in Japan in September 2023. He won the gold medal convincingly at that event with an impressive 200kg bench.
Fast forward a few months and Yokoyama is on the world’s stage in Austin, Texas, competing at the 2024 IPF World Bench Press Championships. He faces legendary bench specialist Ivan Chuprynko of Ukraine. 6 time bench press world champion, the only man to beat him in recent times is the master himself, Daiki Kodama. Big shoes for Yokoyama to fill.
Both Yokoyama and Chuprynko opened on 210kg and they both made it look easy. Because of his lower lot number, Chuprynko came out first for 217.5kg – the weight they had both selected for their second attempt. He got the lift two to one but drew a red light from a side referee – a yellow card infraction. This can cover a multitude of sins, especially on bench, so it’s not clear exactly what was at fault but, whatever it was, the jury agreed and Chuprynko’s second attempt was turned down.
This really paved the way for Yokoyama. He uses an interesting technique. Like Kodama, he lowers the bar a few inches and then pauses, seemingly to tighten up the back and lats, before continuing all the way to the chest. At the very bottom of the lift, he sinks forward into his chest, presumably to gain some elbow depth.
The press was smooth and it was clear that Yokoyama had more in the tank.
Yokoyama and Chuprynko continued to match each other in the third round, both selecting 225.5kg to break Daiki Kodama’s world record and to take the world title.
Kodama and Chuprynko had been bouncing this record around for quite a while. Kodama broke the record for the first time at the Pacific Invitational in Sydney, Australia in 2015 at 211kg. He nudged it up to 212kg in 2017 only for Chuprynko to take it with 212.5kg at the 2018 Europeans.
The two of them then threw the record back and forth a few times at the 2019 World Bench in Tokyo, Japan. Kodama went home with it at an incredible 225kg, adding 12.5kg to the world record in one session.
And that’s where it had been ever since. Until now.
Chuprynko took his attempt first. His control was phenomenal on the descent but it was just too heavy and he had to admit defeat.
Already world champion, Yokoyama took to the bench for his final lift. With one giant already slain, could he keep his nerve and take Kodama’s world record too?
He was a little hesitant on the chest and got a longer pause than he would have liked. His arms shook as he pressed the weight, and there was a tiny bit of lateral shift that looked like it might take him out. But his control and strength were extraordinary. The bar went back to the top and the crowd went wild.
In typical fashion, Kodama was one of the first to congratulate Yokoyama with a big hug – he has the heart of a champion and is a great ambassador for the sport.
We don’t know when we will see Yokoyama again on the international platform. But one thing is for certain. A new talent has arisen and he has taken his first victory.