Draft:Gary Croft
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| [[File:�����������|frameless|alt=Gary Croft performing a heavy deadlift|upright=1]] Gary Croft in training | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British |
| Born | Gary Croft November 29, 1980 Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Weight | 115 kg (254 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Sport | Powerlifting, Strongman former amateur boxer and arm wrestler |
Events | Deadlift, Static Power, Bench Press |
| Achievements and titles | |
World finals | Static Power World Championships (2022) https://wdc.international/static-power-results?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAb21jcAUkalpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mAnNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzU2NzA2NzM0MzM1MjQyNwABpy-rYG6C0fK2ZgVATSz_lxDLYnBt17-0aBy3fYdPve8iuuXLLBFXaWTKDbzf_aem_BLdpLsBna9zWOx0YbDmmow |
Regional finals | IPL DOUBLE WORLD CHAMPION
IPL/GPC WORLD CUP CHAMPION https://www.openpowerlifting.org/u/garycroft |
National finals | 1st Place GPC-GB Lincolnshire Qualifier (2022) 1st Place BPF British Championships (2022) 1st Place UKIPL Combined British Finals (2025) |
| Personal bests |
|
| Updated on September 2026 | |
Gary Croft (born 29 November 1980) is a British powerlifter, strongman, and neurodiversity advocate.[1][2] He is a multiple-time regional, national, and world strength champion, most notably winning the 2022 Static Power World Championships. Known for his static pulling and pressing power, Croft achieved notable recognition within the strength community as a verbal autistic master lifter over the age of 40 executing elite-tier lifts under complex, severe neurological and physiological conditions.
Early life
[edit]Croft was born in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, and raised in the local area.[3] He began weight training at the age of 17, initially inspired by 1980s action cinema, including the Rocky, Rambo, and Bruce Lee films.[4]
In 2020, following a severe personal breakdown, Croft was formally diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Combined Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Combined ADHD), and severe OCD.[2] Although verbal, Croft faces severe needs and challenges that place him towards the lower, high-support end of the spectrum. He has spoken candidly about how the absolute rigidity, repetition, and intense focus required by heavy strength training provided an essential, grounding therapeutic ritual and working diary for navigating his neurodivergence.[5]
Career and competitive records
[edit]Throughout a career spanning nearly three decades, Croft competed extensively across regional and national powerlifting and strongman circuits. According to the official OpenPowerlifting database, Croft secured multiple regional titles across distinct divisions, including taking 1st place in the Masters division at the 2022 GPC-GB Lincolnshire Qualifier and the 2022 BPF British Championships.[6]
https://www.openpowerlifting.org/u/garycroft
In 2022, he achieved his career-peak competitive victory by capturing gold at the WDC British Static Power Championships, an event featuring his 370 kg sanctioned deadlift and a 401 kg Silver Dollar deadlift.[7] Croft has also achieved a Scottish masters record by pulling a 455kg silver dollar deadlift in the 105 kg class, and a British registeted lift of 445 kg in the 100kg division. https://wdc.international/wdc-videos
2023 health crisis and retirement
[edit]In April 2023, Croft suffered a major heart attack.[3] Medical professionals attributed the event to extreme over-training, noting that his neurodivergence made it physically difficult for him to recognize his body's internal physical boundaries and warning signs.[2] Following the health crisis, and due to the rising toll of severe sensory overload, Croft temporarily withdrew from top-tier public competitive strongman setups.[3]
2025–2026 comeback and training metrics
[edit]Driven by an inability to break his lifelong training routine, Croft returned to active lifting at Warriors Gym in Barton.[2] Managing his extreme Combined ADHD and OCD symptoms, he mounted a prolific comeback campaign during the 2025 competitive season, entering and winning 13 consecutive local and regional powerlifting contests.[2] His 2025 campaign culminated in consecutive 1st-place division finishes at the BPF Day of the Dead, the UKIPL Combined British Finals (pulling a 290 kg competition deadlift), and the GPC World Cup.[6]
Because the chaotic environment of major public arenas aggravated his severe sensory overload, Croft struggles with an acute hyper-reactivity to sensory stimuli. His primary triggers include fake or bright overhead lighting, loud crowd noises, sudden uninvited touch, and overlapping structural sounds. He does not keep his collection of competitive trophies inside his Broughton home because looking at them triggers intense emotional distress.[2]
To circumvent these barriers, Croft documented key career milestones within controlled environments. On 11 June 2026, he staged a controlled, witnessed gym exhibition sponsored by the Limitless Lifters Club, where the 45-year-old master lifter successfully deadlifted 400 kg (881 lbs) completely raw without a lifting belt or supportive suit.[8] Additionally, through verified training documentation logged across public communities like Reddit and YouTube, Croft showcased a massive 865 kg raw training total, composed of a 340 kg raw deadlift and a strict 240 kg raw powerlifting-style bench press.[9]
References
[edit]- ↑ Turner, James J (24 September 2022). "Scunthorpe strongman eyes retirement after 'biggest deadlift ever done in Lincolnshire'". Grimsby Telegraph. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ford, Coreena (15 February 2026). "Scunthorpe strongman continues to power to victory despite severe autism". Grimsby Telegraph. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 Davidson, Lauren (30 May 2023). "Scunthorpe strongman retires from the sport he loves after heart attack and autism struggle". Grimsby Telegraph. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Waller, Jamie (15 September 2020). "Strongman and powerlifter inspired by Rambo sets his sights on new record". Grimsby Telegraph. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Live, Scunthorpe (25 January 2022). "Record breaking Scunthorpe powerlifter determined not to let autism stop him". Grimsby Telegraph / Scunthorpe Live. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- 1 2 "OpenPowerlifting Profile: Gary Croft". OpenPowerlifting. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Cite error: The named reference
WDCwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ↑ "Gary Croft Spotlight Feature". The Limitless Lifters Club. 11 June 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Cite error: The named reference
YouTubewas invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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