If you’re a fan of Strongman, now is the perfect time to enjoy the sport. In the course of this season, almost every competition has been nothing short of spectacular. So, the next one on the schedule is the 2023 Strongman Classic which is set to take place on July 8th, 2023, at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, England. However, Giants Live, while organizing the 2023 Strongman Classic, has now managed to call up 12 incredible athletes. The full athlete lineup has already been revealed on their Instagram page, more than two months in advance of the competition.
The 2023 Strongman Classic is the third edition of this competition, and it seems that it will be the greatest one yet. The winner in both previous years was Oleksii Novikov, who is also recognized for his 2020 WSM title. However, in order to win the Strongman Classic for the third year in a row, Novikov will have to face some fierce rivals, including two more WSM champions.
2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic Lineup
- Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
- Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou (Burkina Faso)
- Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine)
- Luke Stoltman (Scotland)
- Eddie Williams (Australia)
- Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine)
- Mitchell Hooper (Canada)
- Tom Stoltman (Scotland)
- Evan Singleton (USA)
- Rongo Keene (Australia)
- Spenser Remick (USA)
- Kevin Faires (USA)
Lineup Overview
The main favorite for the 2023 Strongman Classic has to be Mitchell Hooper. He just won the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition, and became the first Canadian in history to do so. In addition, he has stood on the podium in nine consecutive appearances, and hopes to continue it at the 2023 Strongman Classic as well.
Hooper’s main rivals will be Oleksii Novikov and Tom Stoltman, as both have had their fair share of success in the previous years. Judging by their competition history, Novikov seems to be more successful in this kind of competition, as Tom has won two WSM competitions, but failed to achieve a victory in any other competition. On the other hand, Novikov has won the 2022 Europe’s Strongest Man, 2022 Rogue Invitational, as well as some other events.
Pavlo Kordiyaka and Pavlo Nakonechnyy are also title contenders, having beaten some of the biggest names during their careers. Kordiyaka has achieved fame at the recent 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man, while Nakonechnyy is recognized as the future of the sport despite winning only one competition so far.
Next in the line seem to be Evan Singleton and Luke Stoltman, as both men are known for their solid performances. Even if their chances of winning are slim, both have a realistic chance to stand on the podium.
One potential surprise for the 2023 Strongman Classic can be Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou, since it is hard to predict what his performance could look like. Seeing that static strength is his trademark, Iron Biby could definitely make a charge for the title depending on the events.
Related: Brian Shaw Reveals How He Almost Lost His Leg In Preparation For 2023 World’s Strongest Man
The 2023 Strongman Classic is already a very promising competition, since it features one of the strongest lineups of the season. It is still hard to make predictions, as the events are unknown, but they will be revealed soon enough as well.