Warsaw, Poland – May, 2026

GCU Powerlifting Head Coach and graduate student Dawson Aaron achieved the biggest result of his competitive career, earning a silver medal at the 2026 IPF World Classic & Equipped Bench Press Championships in Warsaw, Poland. His 2^nd-place effort helped Team USA secure a gold medal team victory at the event, improving from their 7^th-place finish last year.

Competing in the highly competitive 93kg weight class, Aaron successfully benched 202.5 kilograms (446 pounds) to finish second in the world. The lift not only secured a spot on the podium but also represented a 15-kilogram meet personal record and a 7.5-kilogram all-time personal best.

The road to silver was anything but straightforward. After his second attempt of 190 kilograms, Aaron found himself sitting in ninth place. Confident in how the lift moved, he and his coaching team made the aggressive decision to load 202.5 kilograms for his final attempt.

The gamble paid off.

Aaron successfully completed the lift and temporarily moved into first place with just three athletes remaining. Two competitors failed their final attempts, leaving only one lifter standing between Aaron and a world title. A competitor from Belgium successfully completed a 207.5-kilogram bench press on the final lift of the competition, narrowly pushing Aaron into second place.

"Definitely was not expecting to finish second," Aaron said. "Looking at the roster before the competition, I knew it was going to be a tight battle at the top. I had a perfect day, a few people missed, and I got the result I wanted."

Aaron entered the world championships with a different strategy than the one that earned him a national title earlier this year. After winning the Powerlifting America Bench Press National Championship in January as an 83kg lifter, he made the decision to move up to the 93kg class in hopes of improving his chances of reaching the podium on the international stage.

The move proved successful.

"I won nationals in January as an 83kg lifter but felt like I would have a better chance to podium at Worlds if I gained weight, which is what happened," Aaron said.

The silver medal also served as redemption after last year's world championships, where a missed third attempt left Aaron just outside podium contention and in seventh place overall.

"After failing my third attempt last year that would have put me in a podium position, I really wanted it this year," Aaron said. "I had a goal to come back to Worlds the following year and make the podium, and that's exactly what happened."

Aaron's performance continues a strong stretch of international success for the GCU Powerlifting program, which has produced multiple national champions and international competitors over the past year.

Next up for the Lopes is another international opportunity, as Kenzie Probasco prepares to represent GCU at the NAPF University Cup on August 7. Aaron is also expected to return to international competition later this year at the NAPF Bench Press Championships in Belize, scheduled for Halloween weekend.