Teo Kalogjera (Photo: Supplied)
Croatian powerlifter Teo Kalogjera has produced one of the strongest performances of his career, setting six European records and lifting a combined 835 kilogrammes at an international competition in Poland.
The 23-year-old Šibenik-born athlete, who has lived and trained in Zagreb for the past four years, competed at the XPC Powerlifting Pro League V in Siedlce from 25 to 27 September.
Competing in the up to 82.5kg category, Kalogjera weighed 81.6kg at the official weigh-in.
He recorded 315kg in the squat, 220kg in the bench press and 300kg in the deadlift, giving him a total of 835kg.
The performance earned him first place in his weight category and third place in the overall Men’s PRO standings, which brought together male professional competitors across different weight classes.
Six European records
Kalogjera’s three main results each resulted in two XPC European records – one in the junior and one in the open category.
His 315kg squat set European records in both categories, as did his 220kg bench press. His 835kg total also established junior and open European records.
That gave him six European records from a single competition.
His overall performance was also particularly notable in relation to his bodyweight. At 81.6kg, Kalogjera’s 835kg total was approximately 10.23 times his own bodyweight.
According to publicly available powerlifting results databases, he became the first powerlifter from the Balkans to record a competition total above ten times bodyweight.
Highest recorded Croatian DOTS score
Powerlifting results can also be compared across different bodyweights using the DOTS scoring system, which takes an athlete’s bodyweight into account when assessing the relative strength of a total.
Kalogjera recorded 569.17 DOTS points in Poland.
According to available results databases, that is the highest recorded DOTS score by a Croatian powerlifter, regardless of age, weight or gender category.
The score placed him third in the overall Men’s PRO ranking. The competition at the top was close, with Kalogjera finishing around two DOTS points behind second place and approximately three points short of the overall winner.
World champion as a teenager
Despite being only 23, Kalogjera already has considerable international experience.
In 2021, he became an IPF world champion in classic powerlifting in the under-74kg age category.
At that competition, he lifted 220kg in the squat, 170kg in the bench press and 255kg in the deadlift for a 645kg total. He also set world records in the bench press and total in his age category.
Five years later, his competition total has increased from 645kg to 835kg – an increase of 190kg.
Building a professional career independently
Kalogjera currently competes as an independent athlete in professional powerlifting leagues, outside the club and competition structure of the Croatian Powerlifting Federation.
As a result, he does not have access to the institutional and financial support available through the national federation and associated sporting structures.
He largely covers the costs of training, travel, accommodation, entry fees and international competitions himself.
Despite his international results and record-breaking performances, he currently does not have a permanent sponsor supporting his career financially.
His latest performance in Poland therefore adds another significant chapter to a career that began with world success as a teenager.
Teo Kalogjera (Photo: Supplied)
At just 23, Kalogjera has now combined six European records, an 835kg total, a total exceeding ten times his bodyweight and a top-three finish among all male professional competitors at the event.
His progression from a teenage world champion to a record-setting professional competitor continues to put Croatian powerlifting on the international stage.
