Larysa Soloviova of Ukraine is one of the most successful and consistent equipped lifters we have ever seen. She has stood on the podium of every World Games since 2005, usually on the top step. She has won the Equipped Open World Championships nine times. She has broken open world records more than 30 times and, in the last few years has added a slew of Masters 1 world records too. There is no question that she was the strong favourite in the 63kg class in Viborg at the Equipped World Championships. However, in Stavanger last year, she made an uncharacteristic error and didn’t make a successful bench, proving that you can never predict what’s going to happen in equipped lifting. This year, she looked on good form, winning the squat gold with 237.5kg. Fast improving Bulgarian, Radostina Lulova took a surprise silver with 225kg and Johanna Aguinaga of Ecuador completed the podium with 222.5kg Aguinaga impressed on bench, taking the gold with 172.5kg ahead of Soloviova’s 162.5kg. Patr...