3 RM Bench Press 2025 Open Recap

The 3 Rep Max Bench Press Open set a record with 94 registrants, including 29 first-time competitors, 12 of them living donors. This was the first time that all 6 leaderboards (top 5) were filled.

The event was one of the most competitive yet, with many athletes completing multiple workouts and some finding creative ways to gain an edge.

This event is all about the weight, and every pound (or fraction of a pound) counts. Some competitors used half-pound and 1-pound weights to outlift their competitors. In a standout moment, transplant recipient Donna Sullenberger bungeed dumbbells to her bar to edge out her rivals in the women’s recipient division. The Sullenberger family also achieved a new record with 4 family members placing in the top 7 on their respective leaderboards.

Donor Men:
The men’s donor division saw fierce competition, with three new Donor Games athletes taking the top spots. Blair Casey took first with a monster 325-pound lift, followed by Eric Walano (300) and liver donor Adam Hull (275). In a dramatic final-day push, Mike Ramsey used quarter-pound plates to edge out Kevin Kilkenny by a half pound, taking fourth place.

Donor Women:
Mimi Mahon once again claimed the top spot with a lift of 165. McKenzie Hull made a late entry to take second place with 157.5, edging out Roni Hays, who came in third with 142.5. Taylor Jones, a new Donor Games competitor, took fourth place with 130. Kelly Schwierzke, whose father and kidney recipient Karl also competed, tied for fifth at 125 with Emmy Spencer Probasco.

Transplant Recipient Women:
Samantha Hil led the category throughout, taking the top spot with a 90-pound lift. Nicki Mahon and Merrill Walker were tied for second at 50 pounds until the final night, when Nicki submitted a 51-pound entry, moving her to second place—then Donna Sullenberger edged her out with 52 pounds just before the deadline, leaving Nicki in third place and Merrill in fourth.

Transplant Recipient Men:
Newcomer Codiee Lofquist emerged victorious in the transplant recipient men’s category with 235 pounds. Liver transplant recipient Leo Draham came in second with 215 and fan favorite Wilson Du took third with a 195 lift.

General Women:
Sarah Wright led for most of the week with 180 pounds and submitted a last-minute 185-pound attempt that was disqualified. Her submission inspired the Sullenberger twins, Kiana and Shanell, to submit last day lifts at 185, moving them to first place, only to be overtaken by Mary Cook’s final lift of 185.5 pounds. The twins ended in a tie for second, with Sarah in third.

General Men:
This division saw intense back-and-forth competition. Three new Donor Games competitors captured the top three spots—Michael Pawlowsky (375), Bradley Watkins (370), and Trevor Adaline (350). Returning athlete Shaphen Robinson landed in fourth at 345 with fan favorite Miguel Person securing fifth place with a 315 lift.

Final Leaderboard

Living Donor: Men
Rank	Participant	Age	State	Weight	Video
1	Blair Casey	28	TX	325
2	Eric Walano	32	NJ	300
3	Adam Hull	43	MD	275
4	Mike Ramsey	52	WI	260.5
5	Kevin Kilkenny	55	NY	260
T-6	Garet Hil	62	CT	255
T-6	Cody Maynard	29	TN	255
T-7	Jason Elmore	43	TX	235
T-7	Jon Sullenberger	62	WA	235
8	Justin King	46	AL	227
9	Brandon Cullen	25	NY	205
10	Cornelius Bornman	48	MI	200
11	Steve Holmes	53	PA	195
12	Eusebio Tamez	56	TX	190
T-13	Anonymous Donor	45	ME	185
T-13	Zachary Sutton	44	SC	185
14	Benjamin Thompson	34	MA	177
15	Joseph Schrage	36	CA	165
16	Adam Cozzette	35	CA	145
17	Chris Sullivan	55	CO	140
	Kyle Bergeron	30	FL	DNC
	Mark Dixon	41	UK	DNC

Living Donor: Women
Rank	Participant	Age	State	Weight	Video
1	Mimi Mahon	36	OH	165
2	McKenzie Hull	34	OH	157.5
3	Roni Hays	27	MS	142.5
4	Taylor Jones	32	MO	130
T-5	Kelly Schwierzke	55	ME	125
T-5	Emmy Spencer Probasco	44	MD	125
T-6	Courtney Cox	41	MO	115
T-6	Jennifer Small	56	ME	115
T-6	Janet Walker	41	NY	115
T-7	Anna Cannington	57	MS	110
T-7	Molly Cropp	44	CO	110
T-8	Britta Kolodziej	39	MN	105
T-8	Trinia Westcott	50	OK	105
9	Kara Cain	34	NC	100
10	Andrea Alejandro	45	TX	95
11	Radley West	53	SC	75
12	Nicole Birkett-Brunkhorst	39	MO	55
	Julissa Castellanos	31	TX	DNC
	Florencia Insalata	43	CA	DNC
	Amy Plourde	49	PA	DNC
	Beth Waller	48	SC	DNC

Transplant Recipient: Men
Rank	Participant	Age	State	Weight	Video
1	Codiee Lofquist	39	MI	235
2	Leo Draham	55	PA	215
3	Wilson Du	43	CA	195
4	Andrés Falco	34	SP	185
5	Scott Claybrook	43	AL	175
6	Josh May	42	TN	150
7	Karl Roney	75	ME	45

Transplant Recipient: Women
Rank	Participant	Age	State	Weight	Video
1	Samantha Hil	28	CT	90
2	Donna Sullenberger	68	WA	52
3	Nicki Mahon	67	OH	51
4	Merrill Walker	68	TX	50
5	Bridget Hargot-Ramsey	50	WI	40

General: Men
Rank	Participant	Age	State	Weight	Video
1	Michael Pawlowsky	33	OH	375
2	Bradley Watkins	41	OH	370
3	Trevor Adaline	29	FL	350
4	Shaphen Robinson	37	OH	345
5	Miguel Person	46	NY	315
6	Gabriel Duarte	45	CO	308
7	Keith Welch	28	CT	305
8	Mason Holmes	23	PA	300
9	Christopher Burch	28	TN	296
10	Jordan Birkett	34	MO	295
11	Thomas Brewster	50	CO	290
12	Frank Schultz	52	CT	285
13	Greg Holt	39	CT	282
14	Danny Ma	36	CA	280
15	Michael Helton	33	MI	265
16	Ezra Mernit	36	NY	255
T-17	Tony Lauters	34	NE	250
T-17	Ryan Meehan	42	CT	250
T-18	Justin Harris	41	WI	245
T-18	Edson DaCosta	46	CT	245
19	Casey Schmitz	40	NY	225
20	Doug Shelton	56	MI	220
21	Rex Wheeler	27	MI	205
22	Victor Pena	22	CT	190
T-23	Sebastian Harris	34	CT	185
T-23	Kevin Thatcher	50	MI	185
T-23	Timothy Wan	49	NY	185
	Bennett McDougal	18	TN	DNC
	Jesse Moyer	45	OH	DNC

General: Women
Rank	Participant	Age	State	Weight	Video
1	Mary Cook	49	IN	185.5
T-2	Kiana Sullenberger	30	WA	185
T-2	Shanell Sullenberger	30	WA	185
3	Sarah Wright	43	IN	181
4	Ali Mahon-Pabon	36	OH	175
5	Kandi Hughart	29	OK	155
6	Abigail Lauters	38	NE	150
7	Megan Bell	33	WI	147.5
8	Ellen Pelka	29	OH	145
9	Teresa Helton	60	MI	135