USAWA

We’re not done with 2026 USAWA Awards just yet. We have some Hall of Famers to highlight for the Class of 2026. It is a pleasure to see Abe Smith join his teammate David DeForest in the 2026 USAWA HOF Class. Abe certainly makes a competitive and athletic case.  He has over 300 individual records, which is 12th place overall in the Century Club. He is one of the most prolific record holders in Clark’s Gym history. In spite of Abe’s young age, he has also served the USAWA on the executive board and as a referee. Abe has competed in the USAWA Nationals, IAWA World Championships, and the many events the USAWA sanctions. Every time he competes, he is a top five finisher. Abe has also been voted by his peers to be the USAWA Athlete of the Year for three years running (2022 – 2024).

Abe is part of the “old guard” from Clark’s Gym that has made many of us who joined the gym in the last five years feel welcome. In spite of his accomplishments and the incredibly large amount of weight he lifts, he is a very humble person. He will referee and load for his fellow lifters without being asked. If he’s asked to do these tasks at meets, he does so cheerfully. As a teacher, like the others on the “old guard” at Clark’s, he does not come up to a lifter and loudly offer advice. Rather, if he sees a lifter doing something that might endanger the lifter or if a lifter asks for his advice, he will explain technique patiently. While Abe lives in the Kansas City area, but when he’s in Columbia he is very welcome presence in our gym and brings a positive and effervescent personality. We always look forward to him coming to town and he is well-liked by all of us. He always cheers on his teammates and acknowledges others accomplishments before his own!

In his life outside the gym, he is a devoted family man to his own family in the Kansas City area and he regularly visits his family here in Boone County, MO area. He is also a person who has shown a tremendous amount of courage and tenacity in the weight room and in life! The 2026 USAWA HOF class welcomes Abe Smith as second of four members inducted this year!

I have been involved with All-Round Weightlifting since 2022 and over the past four years, I have heard plenty of stories about how the sport is changing too fast or the sport is stuck in the past.  How we are alienating athletes with too many “crazy” lifts or we are not approving enough new lifts.  I have heard stories about the glory years when people traveled all over the country and world to keep the long-standing tradition of old-time weightlifters alive.  I have also heard that a certain decision to change something or not change something will be the death of all-round weightlifting.

To steal from and then misquote Mark Twain, the reports of the death of All-Round Weightlifting have been greatly exaggerated.

The 2026 International All-Round Weightlifting Association (IAWA) World Postal featured (46) athletes.  Including (20) from England, (18) from the United States, (7) from Australia, and (1) from Canada.

Twenty athletes are descending on Lebanon, PA for the 2026 IAWA World Championship including the reigning best male and reigning best junior female.  Red Rose Lifting and Powerhouse Gym will both have two lifters.  Frank’s Barbell Club and Habecker’s Gym will have eight and four lifters respectively.  Clark’s, High Country Vigour and Dino Gym will also have athletes in attendance.

International season should finish up with the Gold Cup in Eastbourne and the Old Time Strongman World Postal.

IAWA.UK has (11) events on their calendar plus the IAWA events.  The 2026 British All-Round Championship featured (14) athletes.  England is hosting the Gold Cup this year.

All-Round Weightlifting Federation of Australia has (5) events on their 2026 calendar and will compete in IAWA events as they are able.  Australia will be hosting the World Championship in 2027.

All-Round Weightlifting New Zealand still has an active Facebook Page and Cliff Harvey hosted the All-Round Weightlifting New Zealand Open in 2025.

The 2026 USAWA National Championship featured (19) athletes in Columbia, MO and plans are underway for the 2027 National Championship.  (31) contests were sanctioned by the USAWA for 2026.  The 2026 membership is now 68 athletes.  USAWA has a stable board of directors and special assignment directors.

I have also heard mentions of All-Round in five different podcasts over the past couple of years including The Grip Show, Beyond the Bend, Massenomics, Health Oddities and Iron Culture.

Will we see All-Round Weightlifting in the 2028 Olympics? No. However, Open Powerlifting has ranked over 500,000 athletes and Powerlifting has yet to be invited to the Olympics.

Will All-Round go the way of the International Steel Strandpulling Organization or The Association of Oldtime Barbell & Strongman?  I am not sure.  It will not be in 2026.  Since being established in 1987, many individuals have carried the torch.  Those of us involved today will likely not be involved forty years from now.  For my part, I want to help All-Round Weightlifting grow while staying true to its values.