Arnold Sports Festival – Columbus, Ohio

The USA Powerlifting Male Raw Challenge returned to the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio, bringing together many of the federation’s top raw lifters for a high-level, DOTS-scored showdown. Rather than traditional weight-class winners, lifters competed for overall ranking based on DOTS points, allowing athletes across weight classes to compete head-to-head for prize money and bragging rights.

The meet featured a deep field of national-level competitors, including rising stars, national champions, and established contenders.

Squat Session Highlights

The squat round immediately showcased the level of competition expected at the Arnold.

George Nomah quickly established himself as a leading contender. Competing as a 90 kg lifter, he opened with a smooth 302 kg (665.8 lb) squat and followed with a massive 320 kg (705.8 lb) second attempt while pursuing a world-record-level total.

On his final attempt, Nomah pushed the envelope again with 325 kg (716 lb), completing a successful squat that firmly placed him in the driver’s seat heading into the bench press.

Other standout squat performances included:

• Kevin Sonukan — 312.5 kg best squat
• Lee Seeley — 320 kg squat after successfully repeating a missed second attempt
• Nathan Wilhelm — the heaviest squat of the day at 365 kg, although his final attempt was turned down on depth

Meanwhile, Lorenzo Wright, a former national champion and American record holder in the 100 kg class, battled through early misses to secure a big 352.5 kg (777 lb) third-attempt squat to stay within striking distance.

After squats, the competition remained extremely tight, with only a few DOTS points separating the top contenders.

Bench Press Session

The bench press round continued to shuffle the leaderboard.

George Nomah, still leading the field, opened conservatively before building to 175 kg (386 lb) on his final attempt. Despite a challenging lock-out, he secured the lift and maintained the overall lead heading into the deadlifts.

Garrett Lockwood answered with an impressive 190 kg (418 lb) bench press to remain firmly in second place, while Kevin Sonukan stayed close behind with a successful 182.5 kg attempt.

Several athletes made important moves:

• Daniel Howell stayed competitive with a strong 167.5 kg bench.
• Trevor Bolus rebounded from a missed second attempt to secure his final lift.
• Mark Frisella ground out a difficult third attempt to keep building his total.

By the end of bench press, the standings were extremely close, with George Nomah, Garrett Lockwood, and Kevin Sonukan separated by only a few DOTS points, setting the stage for a dramatic deadlift session.

Deadlift and Final Results

The deadlift round ultimately determined the final standings in one of the closest finishes of the event.

Despite intense pressure from several challengers, Lorenzo Wright surged ahead with a great performance that included:

• 352.5 kg squat
• 205 kg bench press
• 330 kg deadlift

Wright’s 887.5 kg total earned 547.82 DOTS points, securing the overall victory.

The 2026 USA Powerlifting Male Raw Challenge delivered one of the tightest finishes of the festival, with Lorenzo Wright emerging victorious after an explosive deadlift session pushed him past early leader George Nomah.

With multiple athletes surpassing 500 DOTS and totals approaching 900 kg, the event once again highlighted the depth of elite raw powerlifting in USA Powerlifting.

Meet Results – Male Raw Challenge

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Powerlifting.com meet coverage based on official results, event reporting, and on-site or published sources.