Anthony Clark
American strength athlete
About Anthony Clark
Lived 1966 – 2005 (aged 38). Anthony Clark was an American powerlifter.
Anthony Wayne Clark (September 15, 1966, in Philippines – May 22, 2005, in Friendswood, Texas, U.S.) was an American powerlifter, holder of the world record for the reverse-grip bench press and member of the York Barbell Hall of Fame.
Powerlifting career By the time Clark was 13, he was lifting cement weights. In 1986, Clark became the first teenager to bench press , and was notable for using a reverse grip on the bar. In 1992, he was the first lifter to bench press using the reverse grip. On September 25, 1993, at the U.S. Powerlifting Federation (USPF) Northwest Open, Clark broke his own world record with a lift. In May 1993 he had pressed .
After his record-breaking lift, Clark often referred to himself as the World's Strongest Man, and toured for a time performing feats of strength. On one occasion he pushed a elephant, in a heavy-duty wheelbarrow, across the floor in a strongman competition in Japan. In addition to that, Clark gave motivational speeches, seminars, and one-on-one counseling to motivate kids and prison inmates to improve their lives. Clark also claimed that he stopped using steroids at the age of 22, stating that all they did was to increase his blood pressure. He called his best friend Big Mike.
At the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic in 1997, he performed a controversial, reverse-gripped bench press, which was later turned down. This was more than 2 years before Tim Isaac would break the 800 lb mark at a sanctioned meet.
Personal records Powerlifting Competition Records
done in official Powerlifting full meets Squat – 499 kg (1100 lbs) (in singleply squat suit) Bench press – 365 kg (805 lbs) (in bench shirt) Deadlift – 350 kg (771 lbs) Total – 1179.34 kg (2600 lbs) equipped → former IPF world record in SHW class (+regardless of weight class)
Done in gym Push press –
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Important facts
People in Anthony Clark's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Anthony Clark's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Anthony Clark?
American strength athlete (1966–2005)
When was Anthony Clark born?
Anthony Clark was born on 15 September 1966 in Philippines.
When did Anthony Clark die?
Anthony Clark died on 22 May 2005 in Friendswood.
What was Anthony Clark's occupation?
Anthony Clark was a powerlifter.
What nationality was Anthony Clark?
Anthony Clark was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Anthony Clark (powerlifter)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Anthony Clark. https://biography.guide/anthony-clark-powerlifter/
MLA: "Anthony Clark." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/anthony-clark-powerlifter/.
Chicago: "Anthony Clark." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/anthony-clark-powerlifter/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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