Former IPF world record holder in the bench press from the USA Mike MacDonald, 69, died Tuesday, January 9th 2018 in Eveleth, Minnesota after a long illness. He was born September 4th, 1948 in Duluth, Minnesota.
Mike was in powerlifting from the first days of the IPF in the early 1970s. He dominated the bench press for close to a decade setting 36 official world records. He made his first world record at 82,5 kg on November 10th, 1973 in Harrisburg at the World Championships. The last one he did on August 23rd, 1981 in Anaheim, California. There he made 268,5 kg (592,37 lbs.) at 110 kg weighing 105 kg. At one point he was listed with 4 official IPF world records in the old weight classes from 82,5 kg to 110 kg.
He was featured in the then popular magazines like “Powerlifting USA” and also in Terry Todd´s fine book “Inside Powerlifting”. He operated a business in Duluth catering the lifting community and also run Macs Gym. The cambered bench press bar was made popular by him, some say he invented it, so it also known as the “MacDonald bench press bar”.
www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/other/4392575-mike-macdonald-was-bench-presser-ages
The powerlifting world will always remember him as one of the greatest benchers ever and a fine gentleman. Condolences go out to his family and many friends.
