In their free time, most 16-year-olds probably aren’t building their strength in the gym. Rather than polish up their staple lifts, they’re likely playing video games or hanging out with friends. Knowing this, it’s clear that powerlifter Morgan Nicholls is no average teenager.
On Nov. 28, 2022, Nicholls shared an Instagram clip of himself successfully locking out a 233.6-kilogram (515-pound) bench press with wrist wraps. According to the caption of his post, the pressing feat is a personal record (PR) for the young athlete. Considering Nicholls’ age, it might be even more impressive how easily the lift appears to come to him the moment he lowers his stacked barbell onto his chest.
Nicholls’ bench press PR might be a seamless follow to what has been a productive 2022 for the powerlifter. In April 2022, Nicholls captured a 274.3-kilogram (605-pound) deadlift during a training session. If the pull were to occur in an official meet, it would’ve surpassed Arslan Bochkaryov’s World Record 250-kilogram deadlift (551.1-pound) in the 90-kilogram weight class by over 20 kilograms (44 pounds).
While he’s already showing off incredible power for his age (or any age), Nicholls doesn’t have an extensive powerlifting history. According to Open Powerlifting, the athlete has participated in just one sanctioned meet thus far — the 2020 Southern Powerlifting Federation (SPF) GP Summer Bash. He came in first place in the Teenage 13-15 division while competing in the 90-kilogram weight class with wraps.
Here’s an overview of Nicholls’ only official powerlifting contest appearance to date:
Morgan Nicholls | 2020 SPF GP Summer Bash Top Stats
- Squat (w/Wraps) — 204.1 kilograms (450 pounds)
- Bench Press (Raw) — 147.4 kilograms (325 pounds)
- Deadlift (Raw) — 206.4 kilograms (455 pounds)
- Total — 557.9 kilograms (1,230 pounds)
At the time of this writing, Nicholls hasn’t outlined when he plans to feature as a powerlifter again. That doesn’t mean he isn’t staying busy. Even quickly glancing at his Instagram bio should disclose he has quite a jam-packed schedule. When not crushing it as a lifter, Nicholls is a running back and linebacker for his high school football team, and even participates in track and field as a discus thrower.
While it’s not certain where he’ll take his talents next, it’s obvious Nicholls is an ambitious athlete. He might be receiving pushes from his father Chad Nicholls, who has trained famous bodybuilders like eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman and Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. The young Nicholls might even be trying to live up to his mother’s strength sports legacy — a four-time Ms. Olympia and International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Hall of Famer in Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls.
He’s certainly not falling short of living up to his parents’ reputations thus far.
Featured image: raising_mayhem on Instagram
