What happens if a lifter fails to complete their third attempt?

When a lifter fails to complete their third attempt in a powerlifting competition, they are not awarded any points for that lift. This is consistent with the rules set by the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), which stipulate that only successful lifts contribute to the lifter’s total score. Therefore, if the lifter fails to perform the lift successfully, that attempt does not count towards their overall total, resulting in no points being awarded for that specific lift. This situation emphasizes the importance of strategic planning in attempt selection, as even a single failed attempt can affect the overall performance in the competition.

In distinguishing this from other misunderstandings about attempt failures, points are not awarded for unsuccessful lifts, and the lifter does not retain any opportunity to redo that specific attempt later in the competition, nor do they get any form of points or partial credit for it.