Most kids spend their weekends kicking a football around or glued to cartoons.
Michael McCourt Jr. spent his time breaking records.
At just eight years old, the New Jersey youngster stepped onto the platform for his first-ever powerlifting competition and left with far more than a medal. Competing at USA Powerlifting’s Warwick Barbell Bash II on May 2, McCourt Jr. stunned everyone in attendance by setting six state records and a world record for his age group after putting up eye-catching numbers across all three lifts.
And the most jaw-dropping of them all? A deadlift of 209.44 pounds (95kg).
Now aged nine, Michael has quickly become one of the most talked-about young lifters in the sport after his debut performance saw him dominate the Youth 1 Division — despite being the youngest competitor in the entire event.
But for him, the occasion never felt overwhelming.
“I figured I’m just gonna do what everybody else does, just lift the weight,” he said to NJ.com.
Simple. Direct. And exactly the kind of mindset that’s helped fuel his rise.
Powerlifting isn’t something Michael stumbled into by accident. He trains four times a week alongside his dad and coach, Michael McCourt Sr., balancing sessions in the gym with football, baseball, wrestling and schoolwork.
It’s a packed schedule for anyone — let alone someone still in primary school.
And according to his father, the drive is what stands out most.
“I’ve never met anyone, especially at his age, who is so motivated. He locks in, focuses and just wants to do it,” Michael McCourt Sr. said about his son.
That motivation has translated quickly into results.
McCourt Jr.’s full numbers from the competition were remarkable for his age and size. Weighing in at 110 pounds, he posted a 110.2-pound squat, an 82.6-pound bench press, and the headline-grabbing 209.44-pound deadlift.
Those lifts weren’t just impressive — they rewrote the record books.
His father introduced him to the sport by coaching him through the three major disciplines of powerlifting: squat, bench press and deadlift. But the inspiration behind Michael’s obsession started elsewhere.
Like many young lifters today, YouTube opened the door.
Watching powerhouse names like Larry Wheels, Eddie Hall and Brian Shaw gave him a glimpse into what elite strength looked like — and he wanted in.
“My dad used to lift a lot and we have a gym in our basement,” he said, according to Sparta Independent. “I got interested in joining him about a year ago because I watch powerlifters on YouTube.”
That basement gym became the launchpad.
What started as curiosity quickly became commitment.
And while Michael’s numbers turned heads, his mother says it’s the confidence behind them that has made the biggest impact.
Autumn McCourt admitted she became emotional watching her son compete.
“It was so amazing, as the competition was classed by age group, so Mike was the youngest and there were guys in their 80s there as well,” she said. “It was so inspirational.”
She added that while her son is involved in several sports, “but powerlifting just seems to be his thing.”
Back at Mohawk Avenue School, Michael’s achievement didn’t go unnoticed either.
After returning to class, he was met with cheers and high-fives from classmates, while his record-breaking performance was recognised in a schoolwide announcement.
For his father, it’s the fulfilment of something Michael had been talking about for a while.
“He’d always tell us, ‘I want to break some kind of world record, I’m going to figure out what it is.’ And it just happened to be that this worked,” McCourt Sr. said.
And the journey has had an effect on him too.
“He was a true inspiration for me to get back into training and then when he decided he wanted to enter a competition, we really got into it,” he added about his son.
If there was any doubt this was just a one-off, Michael’s already looking ahead.
For his birthday last month, he didn’t ask for toys or video games.
He asked for a powerlifting belt.
His next target? A 235-pound deadlift.
And with another competition lined up for October, he’s wasting no time chasing it.
“I’ve learned that when you set a goal, you can always reach it if you try hard enough,” Michael said. “I can’t wait until my next competition, which will be in October,” he continued. “I love this and I got a really cool medal.”
Featured image credit: Mike McCourt / YouTube
