Taking a second look at Yury’s squat, it actually looks like he could have handled quite a bit more. Maybe not 455kg, but he has more in the tank. It looks like he had some issues on the descent, put on the brakes and got all shaky but coming up it was smooth, maybe better than his last ATWR squat. https://www.instagram.com/p/B4XTPfPAcOu/
Also Graham Hicks looks like he can break Malanichev’s ATWR total if he focuses on PL for a bit, this is only his first meet and he’s less than 100lbs away from Malanichev’s 2513.
On a whim I had a look at the GPC female rankings for the 2020 nationals. From the 67.5 class to the SHWs, the top seven or so are very, very close except the 90s, which are much lower. Keeta Davis has the highest total jointly with the highest ranked 110 (not that it counts to her placing because it Wildcats was outside GPC).
So we’re looking at two or three females with 600+ totals, one in the 75s, one in the 110s and one in the SHWs. Then we’ve got a handful holding 500+ totals pretty evenly spread between the 75s to SHWs. Then the rest of the top seven from 67.5 to SHW are sitting on 400+. Again, the 90s are excluded from this only one 400+ total and the rest in the 300s.
To me it looks like 600 for a female is equivalent to 1100 for a male: possible but still relatively rare. Then 500 is equivalent to 1000, increasingly common but still very elite. Then 400 is equivalent to 900, very good, but nowhere near guaranteeing a win at anything beyond local level and not guaranteeing a podium at national level or higher. What is interesting too, is the spread compared to males. There is a degree of similarity. For example, the totals at 140 are noticeably lower than at SHW; but the totals at 100, 110 and 125 are close to SHW. Then there is very noticeable drop to 90, again to 82.5 and again to 75, etc.
So for both males and females the standout is that what appears to be the case is the class below SHW is not just weaker than SHW, but weaker than the three or so classes below it. Not sure what’s going on there, but it seems like you may as well be a SHW or a light heavyweight because as a heavyweight you’re unlikely to as well.
So I guess now you have no choice but to bulk to 400lbs.
I think it’s more like once you reach a certain size you get diminishing returns for extra weight. A skinny guy bulking from 160 to 200 will get way stronger, but if you are already 300lbs then an extra 20 won’t pay off nearly as much, and might not even make a significant difference.
You should look at the records on Open Powerlifting. CC Ingram is way ahead of everyone, the only female with a bigger total is one SHW. As far as this meet goes, I suppose that a bunch of fat girls won’t be as appealing to the public as smaller ones who are still stronger than 99% of men.