Tag: 2023 WSM
Mitchell Hooper Reveals His Anabolic Protein Shake, Pre-Workout Slushy & Supplement Stack to Win World’s Strongest Man
Canadian strongman Mitchell Hooper has enjoyed a stellar run at the highest level of the sport. Although he’s been competing for only one year, he’s already claimed the most prestigious title, the 2023 World’s Strongest Man. He was able to achieve this due to multiple factors. So, in a recent video uploaded on his YouTube channel, Hooper revealed the anabolic protein shake, pre-workout slushy, and the supplement stack he used to win the WSM.
Mitchell Hooper first emerged as a budding Strongman athlete when he got the chance to compete at the 2022 World’s Strongest Man competition after the withdrawal of Rauno Heinla. Despite not competing at all beforehand, Hooper displayed unreal strength to come out on top of the qualifying group stages over veteran Brian Shaw. Next, he rounded up the top three at the 2022 Shaw Classic and followed up by handily dispatching the competition to win the 2022 Arnold Pro Strongman World Series UK.
Hooper continued to work hard in the off-season and returned triumphant at the Giants Live 2022 World Tour Finals. Then, he set his sights on the 2022 Rogue Invitational. Hooper ended up taking the bronze medal, but also left the fans stunned with his freakish strength, having set a new World Record on the Dinnie Stones Hold.
Earlier this year, Hooper got back in the winning column with a strong performance at the 2023 Australia’s Strongest International competition. A few days after the victory, he scored a new PR of 420-kg (925.9-lb) on the raw deadlift in training. His workouts kept amping up as he demolished an insane 770-kg (1,697.6-lb) raw leg press for eight reps in prep for the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic. His training yielded him the outcome he wanted as he won the top prize at the aforementioned show three months ago.
Mitchell Hooper / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Mitchell Hooper went up against a stacked lineup of proven veterans and fellow rising stars at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man two months ago. He established his lead early and got the biggest win of his career in only his second WSM appearance. Following the impressive win, he called for the development of a comprehensive ruleset for the show.
The 27-year-old detailed some of his ‘non-negotiable’ supplements and gave his take on how alcohol and sugar can affect recovery last month. While there are risks to overusing either substance, Hooper believes moderate consumption of sugar and alcohol won’t derail progress in the training room. Instead, they can be much more beneficial in regard to relaxing before a big day.
Even after the 2023 WSM win, Hooper is still boasting his crazy endurance levels. So, he performed a huge 465-lb (211-kg) squat for 20 reps to level up his conditioning. Then, he broke bodybuilding icon Tom Platz’s 1992 legendary squat record by performing 24 reps of 525 pounds.
Mitchell Hooper reveals supplement stack that won him the World’s Strongest Man
In a recent YouTube video, Mitchell Hooper shared the supplement stack that helped him secure the 2023 WSM and Arnold Classic titles.
Hooper listed whey protein, pre-workout, weight gainer, and creatine as part of his supplement stack.
“I’ll start with my bread and butter which is whey protein,” said Hooper. “That’s obviously going to help you recover and it’s a really quick and easy way for you to get your protein.
“Second thing that’s a mandatory in my stack is my pre-workout… It’s one of those things I don’t find a necessity but it’s certainly something that helps you when it comes to energy.”
“Next in my stack is a bit of weight gainer.”
“And the last thing on my stack is creatine. I have said this time and time again. Creatine is the number one most important thing you need to get the most out of your training.”
“This is the stack used to win World’s Strongest Man and to win the Arnold.”
Mitchell Hooper (Credit: Todd Burandt / World’s Strongest Man)
Hooper shares his staple anabolic protein shake & pre-workout slushy
Hooper revealed his morning protein shake to build muscle along with the ice-cold pre-workout smoothie he consumes to energize himself.
“At the moment, we’re in prep for Royal Albert Hall. I’m losing a bit of weight being a bit fitter so we’re going berries.”
Anabolic protein shake:
2 scoops of Diesel Mint Chip Whey Isolate
1 cup skim milk
2 scoops creatine (10g)
About a cup of Frozen mixed berries
Peanut butter (optional)
Chocolate chips (optional)
Macro Breakdown: 60g protein, 28g carbs, 1g fat.
Pre-workout slushy:
Water
1 and a half scoop of ALTRD State (pre-workout)
1 scoop iPREP
Vitamin C
Cubed ice
Mitchell Hooper challenged himself by taking on strongman icon Eddie Hall’s renowned ‘Death by Deadlift’ set last month. He used slightly heavier plates, a lifting belt, and lifting straps to perform the exhausting set. Although he couldn’t level Hall’s record, he indicated plans to try out the challenge again in the near future.
Hooper’s latest offering provides insight into the preparations of the World’s Strongest Man and will motivate fitness fans to try out similar supplements in their training.
You can watch the full video below.
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, final results, event recaps and in-depth analysis: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 14 June, 2023 | 6:08 PM EDT
Brian Shaw Breaks Silence After His Final Appearance at 2023 World’s Strongest Man
Legendary Strongman Brian Shaw is widely considered to be one of the greatest strength athletes of all time. The four-time World’s Strongest Man recorded some insane lifts over the year, breaking multiple records and becoming an inspiration for many people. He was last seen in action at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, which took place on April 19-23, in South Carolina. It did not go as well as he hoped, but in a recent video posted on YouTube, Shaw shared his thoughts on his final appearance at the competition.
Brian Shaw grew up playing basketball in his younger years and found a passion for lifting heavy weights while training to succeed in one of the most famous ball sports in the World. He kicked off his professional career as a Strongman at the Denver Strongest Man show in 2005. His WSM debut, however, came in 2008, while he also managed to land the third place on the podium the next year. In 2011, Shaw won the coveted WSM title and created history by becoming the first athlete to win both the WSM and the Arnold Strongman Classic in the same year. He repeated the feat by winning both titles in 2015 as well.
Brian Shaw (Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man)
Shaw launched the inaugural Shaw Classic competition and scored gold in December 2020. He then started working on improving his training facilities and gave the fans a look into his massive new gym in July of last year. The equipment was modified to hold more weight and allow him and other contenders to fit in them. Then, he showed off his crazy strength by leg-pressing a 2,000-lb car in preparation for the 2022 Shaw Classic.
Brian Shaw also experimented with his eating process and switched out his usual diet to try a vegan one last September. Shaw wolfed down 9,000 calories from vegan food for a single day. He admitted he could never replace red meat from his diet and reported feeling uneasy due to the sudden change. A few weeks later, Shaw opened up about his reasons for not attempting a 500-kg (1,102.3-lb) deadlift at the height of his powers.
Speaking of Brian Shaw’s diet, the Trifecta CEO Greg Connolly spilled the beans on what it takes to feed the giant athlete. Connolly revealed it cost his firm over $60,000 per year to fuel Shaw.
Shaw teamed up with fellow icon Eddie Hall for a brutal shoulder workout last November. They collaborated again for a comical lower-body training session days later. However, as the start of a new season took place, Brian Shaw announced his plans to move on from elite competitions. He revealed the 2023 WSM would mark his last appearance at the competition. As for his final showing, Shaw will step away after participating in the upcoming 2023 Shaw Classic.
During the build-up to the contest, Shaw laid out how he nearly lost his leg after picking up an injury a few months ago. Fortunately, he was able to recover and get on track for the event. He detailed his battle with leg cellulitis that affected his ability to do basic tasks.
He completed his final appearance at the 2023 WSM, where he turned in a sensational performance at the stone-off and finished seventh overall.
Brian Shaw breaks silence on last appearance at 2023 World’s Strongest Man
In a recent YouTube video, Brian Shaw shared his thoughts on his final appearance at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man. He started by praising the other contenders before breaking down his performance.
“First and foremost I want to congratulate the guys that were at the top. Mitchell Hooper on winning, Tom Stoltman on second, and Oleksii Novikov on third,” said Shaw. “They performed very well and deserve to be up there on that podium. I know there were some questions about my leg, we put out some videos. I want to say my leg was not a factor as far as the competition goes on and really played no role. I did have to overcome that but it was in the rear view mirror by the time we competed so it did not play a role.
“I was ready to go I was dialed in, felt good, got my group definitely a tough group and I feel like all of these groups this year were tough in the qualifiers. I felt like I performed very well. I won two events, tied for first in the deadlift which I was happy about. The loading medley, third place really not that bad. I could’ve improved a couple different things maybe kinda got a couple seconds faster which may have changed one point there. In the end that might have been a big point but I really feel like the event I was disappointed with. The qualifiers was Conan’s Wheel, ended up in fifth place, I was going out last so I knew exactly what I had to do. I was so focused on getting my grip right and getting my feet in the right position and getting my pickup right. I just forgot to take that big breath that you need to take on a Conan’s wheel before you take off and start. I realized that about a quarter of the way into the first turn I just didn’t have much air. I opened myself up to not winning the group with that performance.”
Shaw talks about his historic stone-off & calls for a change in the format
He shared his mindset going into the stone-off battles for landing a spot in the finals. He argued against the current format as it puts those athletes at a disadvantage.
“I wish I could’ve found that extra half a point to win the group because I had to go into a stone off with Ronald. I knew he was one of the guys who you don’t want to get in a stone off situation. He can lift a lot so going into that stone off I had to really tap into a spot mentally and then get into a spot physically that I wanted to save for the final I did not want to tap into that in the qualifiers.”
“It was easy for me but the after effects of being in that stone off were probably more of a death sentence in this World’s Strongest Man competition. Then, I realized at the moment and I have to remember this is the first time that I’ve really been involved in a stone off. I obviously always disagreed with it. I always felt like it put the athletes that had to compete in the stone off at a massive disadvantage, especially if they had to do a big number of reps because your recovery before the final is challenging enough. Even with every effort I tried to put into recovering and being ready to go for the final. I just wasn’t able to recover. In hindsight, that’s really and truly what it kind of came down to for me. My training, the numbers I put up here were very good. I was very confident about walking into WSM and putting on a great show. I felt I was fully capable of winning WSM, especially with the events we had in the final.”
Brian Shaw believes his age may have factored in; analyzes day two
Brian Shaw / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Brian Shaw believes the age gap with other athletes may have played into his recovery. He also gave his take on the second day of the contest.
“My game plan was to set the tone in the fingers be able to know how many reps I needed to pull in the deadlift and then be able to kind of dictate my distance. Instead of going in that order because of the rain they put the shield carry out first and then we did deadlift and then Fingal fingers so I had to deal with but so did the others.”
“I’m not sure if it was a fatigue factor or just coming out of the gate a little bit quick but I feel I burned up pretty quick and was only able to make it to about 40 meters which I knew was not going to be good enough for a good result in that event. So, I definitely got frustrated with that and tried my best to kind of put that behind me.”
“So finished with four fingers and I knew at that moment that was a big blow to my chances of being toward the top of WSM finishing toward the top. So I just had to kind of take a moment, go out, and sit by myself a little bit, and know the frustration was high. The disappointment was high.”
“Looking back my sleep not as good as it should have been. That was definitely a thing. I was not sleeping well and don’t know if that was the bed, my brain not turning off me not calming down.”
“When I had to do that stone off obviously it hurt me from a recovery standpoint work output standpoint and the simple fact is I am for a lot of these guys that are in the final I’m more than 10 years older than them, some of them closer to 15 years older than them. As much as I hate to say and admit it, it’s probably going to be harder for me to recover in that condensed period.”
“Day two of the finals, I kinda had to regroup. My training results were good in the warm-up. I could definitely tell the dumbbells felt heavier and that’s never something you want to feel. For it to feel heavier than it should, it definitely was an indicator I was tired again you strap it on. You go out, do what you can do, result was not what I wanted.
“Going into the bus pull, I love any type of heavy pull so I was hoping it would be hard heavy and it was definitely was anything but that. There was seven competitors that were separated by less than a second so that’s a massive indicator that it was too light and especially for WSM, it’s not good, it has to be a lot heavier. That was a massive letdown.”
“Going into stones, with this being my last WSM, I wanted to go out and put on a great show, give it everything I had and I did do that. I could tell from the first stone it was just way harder than it should have been far as carrying the stones in getting them loaded. The glutes and hamstrings just were not there.”
Shaw urged for changing refereeing standards
Brian Shaw / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Brian Shaw called for a stricter standard for the head judge while criticizing the conduct in specific events.
“I truly hope they do in the future make it more of a pure competition. Another thing I wanted to talk about is the refereeing. It has not been at a standard that it should be at. A lot of people have pointed at the max dumbbell. It’s never the athlete’s fault. I think there needs to be a level in strongman and I’m certainly not the one that’s making the choices about who the head referee is. But if I was I’d be taking a hard look at the head referee.”
“I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t disappointed with my performance overall. I didn’t perform up to my capabilities but with everything that came with the competition what I had to fight through. I can honestly say that I gave it everything I had its was not for a lack of effort or trying. I think that at the end of the day I can only look at myself. If I say stone off took a lot out of me, I should’ve figured out a way in the qualifier to get another half point so I stayed out of that. I didn’t have to do that so again falls back completely on me. But it’s disappointing to go to WSM with that after the prep I had. I wasn’t able to fully put that on display and show everybody.”
He wasn’t satisfied with his performance and will be gearing up for the Shaw Classic.
“It’s tough to end my career at WSM with that performance but again it’s something that was special in so many different ways.”
“I am moving on. My next and final competition will be the Shaw Classic in Colorado in August. I’m excited about it.”
Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman reacted to some of Brian Shaw’s craziest lifts in Strongman competitions earlier this week. He was left stunned by Shaw’s unreal strength.
Brian Shaw stands as the fourth-winningest strongman with 26 international competition wins under his belt. He will look to add another accolade when he competes at the Shaw Classic later this year.
You can watch the full video below.
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, final results, event recaps and in-depth analysis: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 5 May, 2023 | 5:21 PM EDT
2023 WSM Mitchell Hooper Shares ‘Non-Negotiable’ Supplements, Alcohol & Sugar for Recovery
Canadian strongman star Mitchell Hooper is one of the fastest-growing athletes in the game. He’s coming off a sensational performance at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, where he won the coveted title two weeks ago. He managed to do that by optimizing his recovery and training process. In a recent video posted on YouTube, Hooper shared his thoughts on which supplements to consume and the effect of alcohol and sugar on recovery.
Mitchell Hooper first made headlines for his insane feats of strength in 2022. He got the opportunity to participate in that year’s World’s Strongest Man competition after veteran strongman Rauno Heinla pulled out. Hooper made the most of the chance as he defeated legend Brian Shaw in the qualifying stages of the event. Although he did not finish on the podium, his debut was a sign of things to come.
Hooper was working hard in the training room for other competitions following his maiden WSM appearance. He also got the chance to compete in other prestigious Strongman competitions due to this in insane debut performance. So, he also showed off his crazy strength by smoking a 695-pound squat for a 5-rep PR in preparation for the 2022 Rogue Invitational last September. He made a statement in his next showing at the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic UK, where he defeated the likes of former champion Oleksii Novikov. Then, he scored gold at the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals a few weeks later.
In November 2022, Hooper set his eyes on the Rogue Invitational title. He turned in a dominant performance, setting the new Dinnie Stones Hold World Record on his way to victory. His first year of competition established him as one of the most promising contenders in the sport.
Mitchell Hooper (Credit: Todd Burandt / World’s Strongest Man)
Mitchell Hooper continued to improve in the gym and set a new two-rep PR of 350-kg (771.6-lb) on the raw squat earlier this year. He then kicked the season off with a commanding victory at the 2023 Australia’s Strongest International show weeks later. However, Hooper did not stop there, having recorded a raw deadlift PR of 420-kg (925.9-lb) in training a few days after the win.
The 27-year-old educated his audience on the technique of performing a loading medley and front carry exercises, thus becoming even more likeable among the fans. Then, Hooper gave fans a look into a lower body training session in preparation for the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic. His workouts were clearly very effective, seeing how Hooper extended his winning streak by securing the prestigious title in Colombus, Ohio.
Hooper was last seen in action at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, which took place Apr. 19-23 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He got the lead early on the first day and managed to retain his spot in a close-fought battle on day two. In the end, Hooper emerged victorious and won the title in only his second WSM appearance.
Mitchell Hooper offers tips on supplements & recovery
In a recent YouTube video, Mitchell Hooper shared his thoughts on the necessary supplements to take.
“Creatine, non-negotiable, protein powder, non-negotiable, if you can’t get it through food which most of us can’t, and pre workout if you’d like it, if it makes you feel energized go for it,” said Hooper. “But in terms of the multivitamins, I need or I’m minority deficient in this and macro doses of Vitamin C, it’s just not supported when it comes to performance all that much so focus on a varied diet.”
“After workout is best but we get to the point where it’s statistical significance versus practical significance. Meaning that they’ll have enough people in a study and study it long enough that they’ll report a difference but the difference is statistically significant but makes no difference to the actual reality of things. For me, I take it the first thing in the morning just because that’s when I remember to take it.”
He stressed the importance of optimizing recovery after intense training.
“It’s tough. Treat it as an individual and learn how to monitor yourself. For me, number one is I’ll get irritable and so if I notice I’m getting irritable, I know I need to sleep. I know if I don’t sleep I do really poorly. Sleep needs to be number one for me. Nutrition isn’t something that has to come and go. That’s not really a negotiation. Life stress, how much control do you have over that? It just becomes like how much sleep you can get and maximize it. If you’re not recovering well, think about taking a deload week, taking a couple of easy sessions.”
Hooper advocates moderate use of sugar & alcohol
Mitchell Hooper believes sugar and alcohol could fit into the athletes’ diet without any adverse effects if consumed in moderation. In fact, after one of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition days concluded, Hooper was seen with a bear in his hand since it helped him sleep better.
“I don’t think sugar is a particular vice per se because it’s some of the most useful fuel we can have. I think putting it always in the context of fuel is important because sugar during a workout can be highly useful if you can tolerate that. In terms of alcohol, from a health perspective, it’s more healthy to have up to 8 drinks a week than to not so long as those eight drinks are spread over the week. So how much of a vice is it really? It comes down to general responsibility. When it comes to the evidence, it’s not the end of the world. I drink probably more now than I ever have, not that much but still. Before carbs, I’ll have a couple of beers because that helps me get to sleep better.”
“If you drink alcohol and that stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system because you’re having a quiet night at home, having a glass of wine and that’s what you enjoy, it could actually benefit your recovery even though the alcohol itself is poor, which is a completely different conversation than you’re at the club having a piss up. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with moderation for either of those.”
Mitchell Hooper utilized a bodybuilding style training routine for his first workout after winning the 2023 WSM a week ago. While he did not feel terribly sore, he enjoyed the lower-intensity training that helped boost his endurance and pump.
He opened up about his experience competing at the show a few days ago. He identified a need to develop a proper ruleset while detailing his analysis of the competition.
Hooper made history by becoming the first Canadian to win the WSM title. Based on his track record, it certainly appears he has a bright future ahead in competition.
You can watch the full video below.
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, final results, event recaps and in-depth analysis: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 4 May, 2023 | 5:15 PM EDT
Exclusive: Mitchell Hooper Reveals How Brian Shaw, Tom Stoltman, & Licis inspired Him To Win The 2023 WSM
The 2023 World’s Strongest Man contest took place on April 19-23, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and saw Mitchell Hooper win. Hooper thus became the first Canadian ever to win the title with an amazing display in both qualifying and finals stages. Aged 27-years-old, Hooper is also very young and relatively inexperienced in the sport of Strongman.
However, that did not stop him from enduring a difficult training regimen since he has a motto that he lives by. In addition, Hooper enjoys doing Strongman, especially having found inspiration in the likes of Tom Stoltman, Martins Licis, and Brian Shaw.
Following the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition, Mitchell Hooper sat down to give us an exclusive interview about his new achievement, the training leading up to it, his inspiration, as well as future goals.
Our Exclusive Interview with Mitchell Hooper
Mitchell Hooper (Todd Burandt / World’s Strongest Man)
Mitchell Hooper explained that he didn’t do anything special to win the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition. He just showed up every day and put in the work during training sessions, performing well enough to come out on top.
Fitness Volt: What do you attribute your success to, and how have you prepared for this competition?
Mitchell Hooper: “Being good enough every day. None of my training sessions look particularly astonishing. I don’t do anything insane on a given day, but I don’t miss a day. My training motto is Good Enough Every Day.”
We spoke to Mitchell Hooper, the winner of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition, to get his perspective on the challenges he faced during the tournament. Despite making many of the events seem effortless, we were curious to know what he found to be the most difficult aspect of the competition.
Fitness Volt: Which event in the World’s Strongest Man competition did you find the most challenging?
Hooper: “It was Max Dumbbell. Max Dumbbell is a weakness of mine. I came, I believe ninth out of ten in Rogue (Invitational) and that was four or five months ago… I would say max dumbbell and that is when I got most excited.”
The fans were definitely impressed by Mitchell Hooper’s performance in the Max Dumbbell, but he put up one of the most epic displays ever in another event. That was the Reign Shield Carry, the first event of the finals. At one point in the event, it looked like Hooper was completely exhausted, but he kept carrying the shield with every last ounce of strength he had left. In the end, Hooper won the event and took max points.
Fitness Volt: You had shown incredible resilience and put up one of the most epic performances in the Shield Carry event against Tom Stoltman. So, many fans believe that this largely influenced the remainder of the finals. What do you think about it, and how did it feel to cross the final few feet?
Hooper: “Winning the first event allows you to know what to do for the rest of the competition… It set it up really well and I think it was a statement to kick off the finals.”
Despite professionally competing for under one year, Mitchell Hooper has already had the experience of competing with all of the greatest Strongmen in the world. So, we asked him if anyone surprised him and if he found any athlete inspirational.
Fitness Volt: You’ve faced tough competition from some of the strongest athletes in the world. Who has been your biggest rival or inspiration, and why?
Hooper: “I am inspired by so many of the guys. I am inspired by Tom and his journey to become the strongest man in the world. Martins, Martins and I talk quite a lot. Brian and his four wins and everything he does outside of the sport as well. It is really an amalgamation of a lot of people and we are not short of people to be inspired by in the Strongman world.”
Obviously, finishing day one of the 2023 WSM finals at the top of the leaderboards results in some very powerful feelings. However, Hooper revealed that he did not think of himself as the winner at that point. Instead, he remained focused until the final moments of the competition.
Mitchell Hooper (Credit: Todd Burandt / World’s Strongest Man)
Fitness Volt: Earlier this year, you claimed the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic title in March. How did that victory influence your preparation and mindset for the World’s Strongest Man event?
Hooper: “You have to go prove yourself every single event and it was the same attitude when I started winning the events in the finals. You can’t celebrate before everything is over.”
Each Strongman athlete has their own unique motivation for pursuing the sport, whether it be for the glory, the accolades, or personal fulfillment. Mitchell Hooper recently shared his personal goals and aspirations within the Strongman community.
Fitness Volt: How do you see the future of strongman, and what role do you hope to play in its growth?
Hooper: “I hope to grow it at the community level as much as possible. I think it is a great way for people to get moving… The gym can be a daunting place, but the Strongman community is one of the most welcoming communities that I have been a part of.”
Related: 4x WSM Brian Shaw Completes His Final World’s Strongest Man Appearance; An End Of An Era
Mitchell Hooper 2023 WSM Finals Performances
Mitchell Hooper opened up the qualifying stage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man perfectly, winning all three events of day one. Then moving on to day two of the qualifying, Hooper needed to do the bare minimum to advance to the finals. However, he wanted to put on a show for the fans and thus gave his all on day two as well. Two events were on the schedule, so Mitchell ended up winning Conan’s Wheel and placing second in the Kettlebell Toss event.
Mitchell Hooper (Todd Burandt / World’s Strongest Man)
Qualifying
Loading Race: First-Place
Deadlift Machine: First-Place
Log Ladder: First-Place
Conan’s Wheel: First-Place
Kettlebell Toss: Second-Place
After one rest day, Mitchell Hooper came back fully energized for the finals. He opened up the finals similar to the qualifying, winning the Reign Shield Carry and Knaack Deadlift event on day one. However, he placed sixth in the Fingal’s Fingers and lost a lot of his lead over Tom Stoltman and Oleksii Novikov.
On day two of the finals, Mitchell Hooper once again won the first two events, thus needing just a few points on the final event. He ended up getting those points and claiming the title. Fun fact, Hooper is the first man to win four events in the finals of the World’s Strongest Man competition since the 6-event format was introduced.
Finals
Reign Shield Carry: First-Place
Knaack Deadlift: First-Place
Fingal’s Fingers: Sixth-Place
Max Dumbbell: Tied-First
Bus Pull: First-Place
Atlas Stones: Second-Place
Mitchell Hooper (Todd Burandt / World’s Strongest Man)
It is incredible to think that Mitchell Hooper has already become this big of a figure in Strongman despite not competing for even one full year. However, he has taken part in 10 International competitions, winning five of them, including the 2023 WSM and 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic.
Mitchell Hooper will continue pushing himself, as there are some more big titles for him to win. In addition, judging by his performances at the 2023 WSM, Hooper will end up with a plethora of World Records in a few years. So, there is still a lot to look forward to.
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, final results, event recaps and in-depth analysis: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 24 April, 2023 | 10:28 AM EDT
Mitchell Hooper Wins The 2023 World’s Strongest Man
The 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition took place from April 19-23, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In hopes of determining this year’s greatest Strongman, the organizers summoned 30 athletes who had proven themselves the most in the past season. These athletes were divided into five groups of six for qualifiers, which lasted for two days. After completing six events, the best two athletes from each group went on to the finals. In the finals, the ten athletes completed another ten events and Mitchell Hooper proved to be the best out of the bunch. So, Hooper earned the prestigious title of 2023 World’s Strongest Man..There was never any doubt that Mitchell Hooper could become the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, having put up very consistent performances in both the qualifying and the finals. He faced some fierce pressure from Tom Stoltman and Oleksii Novikov, as only one point separated the top three after day one of the finals. So, day two of the finals was crucial.
However, Mitchell Hooper entered the second day of the finals even better than the first one, winning two out of three events and solidifying his place at the top. He then went to perform the Atlas Stones and easily sealed the deal.
Mitchell Hooper 2023 WSM Finals Performances
Qualifying
Loading Race: 5 in 42.05 s (First-Place)
Deadlift Machine: 8 reps (First-Place)
Log Ladder: 5 in 39.51 s (First-Place)
Conan’s Wheel: 636 ° (First-Place)
Kettlebell Toss: 6 in 17.18 s (Second-Place)
Finals
Reign Shield Carry: 64.8 m (First-Place)
Knaack Deadlift: 8 reps (First-Place)
Fingal’s Fingers: 5 in 49.89 s (Sixth-Place)
Max Dumbbell: 140 kg (Tied-First)
Bus Pull: 30.24 s (First-Place)
Atlas Stones: 5 in 36.96 s (Second-Place)
Mitchell Hooper / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
Mitchell Hooper had an unbelievable performance throughout the entire competition. He first won four out of the five events in the qualifiers, placing second in the fifth event as well. He then moved on to the finals and met up with the best performers from other groups as well. In the finals, Hooper managed to win another four events, more than anyone expected. So, it is evident that no one was more deserving of this title than Mitchell Hooper.
It is crazy to think how this was just the second appearance at the World’s Strongest Man competition for Mitchell Hooper. Moreover, his professional Strongman debut came in late may of 2022, when Hooper placed eight at the 2022 WSM. So, he has not even spent a year in the sport, but has already claimed the biggest title in the sport.
In the 11 months that Mitchell Hooper has been competing, he already took part in 10 International competitions and won five of them.
Mitchell Hoopers International Victories
Related: Brian Shaw Reveals How He Almost Lost His Leg In Preparation For 2023 World’s Strongest Man
Mitchell Hooper looks like the next man in line to reach the heights of Zydrunas Savickas and Brian Shaw, especially due to his consistency in every event. While we will learn soon whether he has the desire to do so, he has already made history by becoming the first Canadian to win the World’s Strongest Man competition.
Full WSM 2023 Coverage
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, final results, event recaps and in-depth analysis: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 23 April, 2023 | 4:01 PM EDT
![2023 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Finals [Live Updates]](https://www.musclechemistry.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-WSM-Result.jpg)
2023 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Finals [Live Updates]
The stage is set for the final day of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man contest, which has been taking place from April 19-23, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Only three more events remain until the competition concludes and we find out who the World’s Strongest Man this year is. Those events are the Max Dumbbell, Bus Pull, and Atlas Stones.
The day one of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals saw Mitchell Hooper take the lead with two event wins. However, he still has a very difficult task for day two, as Tom Stoltman and Oleksii Novikov, both previous WSM champions, are within one point of him.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals Results [Live]
Mitchell Hooper (Canada) — 34.5 points
Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine) — 31 points
Tom Stoltman (UK) — 30.5 points
Trey Mitchell (USA) — 25.5 points
Evan Singleton (USA) — 25 points
Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine) — 20.5 points
Brian Shaw (USA) — 17.5 points
Mathew Ragg (New Zealand) — 14.5 points
Luke Stoltman (UK) — 14.5 points
Jaco Schoonwinkel (South Africa) — 5.5 points (Withdrew)
Related: Eddie Hall Reveals His Top 3 Predictions For The 2023 World’s Strongest Man
2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals Day Two Event Recap
Max Dumbbell
The second day of the finals began with the Max Dumbbell event, in which the athletes had to lift a dumbbell from the floor and onto one shoulder, then perform an overhead press with one hand. They had to find a comfortable position with the dumbbell before attempting the press.
Mitchell Hooper has once again won the event, marking his third victory in the finals. However, this time he had to share it with Evan Singleton, since both men lifted 140 kilograms. In addition, both attempted to lift even more, but were unsuccessful.
In regards to the third-place finish, four men ended up sharing the points, as both Stoltmans, Novikov, and Kordiyaka all lifted 132 kilograms. Unfortunately for these four competitors, sharing the points means they missed out on earning more points individually.
Jaco Schoonwinkel had the dumbbell fall back to his shoulder on his first attempt, which caused him to fall down. Although he did walk off, it was later announced that Jaco withdrew.
Mitchell Hooper — 140 kilograms
Evan Singleton — 140 kilograms
Tom Stoltman — 132 kilograms
Pavlo Kordiyaka — 132 kilograms
Luke Stoltman — 132 kilograms
Oleksii Novikov — 132 kilograms
Trey Mitchell — 125 kilograms
Brian Shaw — 125 kilograms
Mathew Ragg — 125 kilograms
Jaco Schoonwinkel — Withdrew
Bus Pull
In the second-to-last event of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, the athletes were tasked with pulling a bus a distance of 25 meters. Although the weight of the vehicle is unknown, the time limit for this event was 60 seconds.
*Results are coming soon
Atlas Stones
The Atlas Stones serve as the final event in most strongman competitions, including the 2023 World’s Strongest Man. However, this year’s competition features an exceptionally heavy set of Atlas Stones, with the five implements ranging from 150 kilograms (330.7 pounds) to 210 kilograms (463 pounds).
*Results are coming soon
Related: Mark Felix Retires From World’s Strongest Man Appearances; A Tribute to a Strongman Legend
Full WSM 2023 Coverage
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, event recaps, in-depth analysis, and results: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 23 April, 2023 | 11:00 AM EDT
Jaco Schoonwinkel Withdraws From 2023 World’s Strongest Man Competition
The final day of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man is underway in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, but it has proved to be very unlucky for one man. In the first event of the day, the Max Dumbbell, Jaco Schoonwinkel attempted to overhead press 115 kilograms (253.5 pounds). However, he was unsuccessful and ended up seemingly injuring himself on the attempt.
Jaco Schoonwinkel managed to lift the dumbbell onto his shoulder during the Max Dumbbell event but struggled to fully lock out the weight during the overhead press. As he attempted to lower the weight, he lost control, and it appeared to hit his shoulder. Jaco fell to the ground and remained lying down for a period before getting up and walking off. Fortunately, he seemed to be okay despite the incident.
However, Jaco Schoonwinkel was obviously not fine, as the World’s Strongest Man’s official Instagram page shared the news of his withdrawal from the competition. They did not reveal the exact reason why.
Related: Eddie Hall Reveals His Top 3 Predictions For The 2023 World’s Strongest Man
Jaco Schoonwinkel really lacked luck in the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals, as he had another incident on day one. During the Reign Shield Carry event, Jaco started off well, but stumbled and fell after 15.92 meters. So, it is not clear if that incident has anything to do with his withdrawal today as well.
Jaco Schoonwinkel was one of the main surprises of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition. He was placed in a very tough group with Brian Shaw, Adam Bishop, and Rauno Heinla. Regardless, Jaco kept his cool and managed to win the group ahead of all these big names.
Jaco Schoonwinkel’s performances in the finals were less than desirable for him, but it is understandable as this was his debut at the WSM. Jaco is not too experienced in other competitions either, having only taken part in three more International competitions. Most notably, he finished second in both the 2021 Africa’s Strongest Man and 2022 Official Strongman Games.
Jaco Schoonwinkel’s 2023 WSM Performances
Qualifying
Loading Race: 5 in 47.10 s (First-Place)
Deadlift Machine: 6 reps (Fourth-Place)
Log Ladder: 4 in 34.77 s (Second-Place)
Conan’s Wheel: 713 ° (First-Place)
Kettlebell Toss: 6 in 47.32 s (Third-Place)
Finals
Reign Shield Carry: 15.92 m (Tenth-Place)
Knaack Deadlift: 5 reps (Tied-Seventh)
Fingal’s Fingers: 4 in 40.76 s (Tenth-Place)
Related: Mark Felix Retires From World’s Strongest Man Appearances; A Tribute to a Strongman Legend
Jaco Schoonwinkel is the first athlete to withdraw from the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals, and hopefully the only one. There was only one other withdrawal in the entire competition, and it was Iron Biby at the start of the competition.
2023 WSM Coverage Recap
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, event recaps, in-depth analysis, and results: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 23 April, 2023 | 10:48 AM EDT
![2023 World’s Strongest Man Results — Finals Day One [Live Updates]](https://www.musclechemistry.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-WSM-Finals-Day-One.jpg)
2023 World’s Strongest Man Results — Finals Day One [Live Updates]
We have already passed the halfway point of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man contest, but the most exciting part of the event is yet to come. Following two days of qualifying and a rest day, the competition resumed today, April 22nd, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Today marks the first of two days of Finals, where the top ten athletes compete in six events each day. The events scheduled for today include Fingal’s Fingers, Deadlift, and a Shield Carry.
The first day of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals has been delayed due to problematic weather conditions. Additionally, the events may be re-arranged, as some of the equipment might be too slippery to perform on safely without risking injuries.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals Results [Live]
Mitchell Hooper (Canada) — 10 points
Tom Stoltman (UK) — 9 points
Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine) — 8 points
Trey Mitchell (USA) — 7 points
Evan Singleton (USA) — 6 points
Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine) — 5 points
Luke Stoltman (UK) — 4 points
Brian Shaw (USA) — 3 points
Mathew Ragg (New Zealand) — 2 points
Jaco Schoonwinkel (South Africa) — 1 points
Related: Every Winner of The World’s Strongest Man Competition Since 1977
2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals Day One Event Recap
Reign Shield Carry
The Reign Shield Carry was the first event on day one of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man Final. A massive shield-like implement was placed on the ground for participants to pick up and carry for the maximum distance possible. The shield weighs 196 kilograms (432.1 pounds) and the event has no time limit.
Due to the weather conditions, the Shield Carry event was rescheduled to be the first event of the day instead of the final event. This decision was made to ensure the safety of the participants.
Mitchell Hooper had to exert all his effort to win the first event of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals. Although he initially struggled after only a few meters, he displayed unparalleled mental strength by persevering, taking deliberate steps, and leaning backwards
Tom Stoltman began the Shield Carry event with impressive speed, covering three lengths of 20 meters with ease. However, in stark contrast to Hooper’s determination and perseverance, Stoltman unexpectedly dropped the shield.
Oleksii Novikov secured the third place with ease by surpassing all other competitors except for Hooper and Stoltman.
On the other hand, Pavlo Kordiyaka managed to have the longest run in the Shield Carry event, but he received a deduction of 20 meters from his score as he failed to comply with the rules by crossing the marked line on the pavement.
Mitchell Hooper — 64.8 m
Tom Stoltman — 63.15 m
Oleksii Novikov — 55.87 m
Trey Mitchell — 50.83 m
Evan Singleton — 48.3 m
Pavlo Kordiyaka — 46.59 m
Luke Stoltman — 44.62 m
Brian Shaw — 39.1 m
Mathew Ragg — 37.65 m
Jaco Schoonwinkel — 15.92 m
Knaack Deadlift
The second event of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals was the Knaack Deadlift for reps. This standard Strongman movement involved a barbell loaded with two massive Knaack boxes on each side, bringing the total weight to 353 kilograms (778.2 pounds). The event also had a time limit of 60 seconds for athletes to perform as many repetitions as possible.
*Results are coming soon.
Fingal’s Fingers
In the Fingal’s Fingers event of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals, five long poles were placed horizontally on the ground. The athletes had to lift each pole from the ground, get it into an upright position, and then push it to the opposite side. The weight of each Fingal’s Fingers pole increased and ranged from 145 kilograms (319.7 pounds) to 172 kilograms (379.2 pounds). The event has a time limit of 60 seconds.
Actually, Fingal’s Fingers was originally scheduled as the first event of day one of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals, but due to weather conditions, it was moved to last for safety purposes.
*Results are coming soon.
Related: Eddie Hall Reveals His Top 3 Predictions For The 2023 World’s Strongest Man
We are just one day away from the conclusion of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition. In order to not miss out on any of the action, here are the scheduled starting times for each event.
Event Schedule
Day Four, April 23rd — Finals
Event Four — Max Dumbbell – 8 a.m. EST
Event Five — Vehicle Pull – 10:10 a.m. EST
Event Six — Atlas Stones – 1:54 p.m. EST
How To Watch
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to watch the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition live online unless you are physically present in Myrtle Beach, SC. However, there’s no need to worry as we will provide you with a detailed summary of the event to keep you informed.
Full WSM 2023 Coverage
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, event recaps, in-depth analysis, and results: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 22 April, 2023 | 11:18 AM EDT
2023 World’s Strongest Man Results And Point Standings [Live Updates]
The 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition is currently being held from April 19-23 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The competition aims to determine the world’s greatest Strongman athlete, and has brought together 30 contestants from around the globe. These competitors have competed over the course of two days in the qualifying stage, after which the field was narrowed down to only ten athletes. After a rest day, these finalists are now competing in an additional six events over two days to determine the ultimate winner.
The 2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals encountered some setbacks at the start of the competition due to bad weather. However, some changes to the schedule fixed everything. Be sure to stay tuned to Fitness Volt for every detail as it unfolds.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Leaderboard[LIVE]
Rank
Athlete Name
Points
1
Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine)
–
2
Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
–
3
Mitchell Hooper (Canada)
–
4
Jaco Schoonwinkel (South Africa)
–
5
Trey Mitchell (USA)
–
6
Tom Stoltman (UK)
–
7
Luke Stoltman (UK)
–
8
Mathew Ragg (New Zealand)
–
9
Brian Shaw (USA)
–
10
Evan Singleton (USA)
–
Brian Shaw (Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man)
Related: Brian Shaw Reveals How He Almost Lost His Leg In Preparation For 2023 World’s Strongest Man
Finals Recap — Day One
Reign Shield Carry
For this event of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition the athletes were tasked with carrying a massive metal shield weighing 196 kilograms (432.1 pounds). They did not have a time limit either, since the goal was to carry it for max distance.
Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine) —
Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine) —
Mitchell Hooper (Canada) —
Jaco Schoonwinkel (South Africa) —
Trey Mitchell (USA) —
Tom Stoltman (UK) —
Luke Stoltman (UK) —
Mathew Ragg (New Zealand) —
Brian Shaw (USA) —
Evan Singleton (USA) —
Knaack Deadlift
It would be impossible to ignore the deadlift this year, as they always make for a great show. With two huge Knaack boxes hanging on either side of the barbell, the athletes had to perform as many reps as possible. The total weight of the deadlift came out to 353 kilograms (778.2 pounds) and the time limit was 60 seconds.
Results are coming soon.
Fingal’s Fingers
The Fingal’s Fingers are often seen in the World’s Strongest Man competition due to their complexity. So, they found their place among the final events this year as well. The athletes have to flip five pole-like Fingal’s Finger implements in a time limit of 60 seconds. The weight of the implements ranged from 145 kilograms (319.7 pounds) to 172 kilograms (379.2 pounds).
*Originally, Fingal’s Fingers was going to be the first event on the first day of finals. However, the rain caused the poles to become too slippery to perform safely. Therefore, this event was changed to be the last event of the day.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Group Stage Leaderboard
Group 1
Rank
Name
Points
1
Pavlo Kordiyaka — Ukraine (QUALIFIED)
25
2
Tom Stoltman — United Kingdom (QUALIFIED THROUGH STONE-OFF)
20.5
3
Bobby Thompson — USA
20
4
Konstantine Janashia — Georgia
17.5
5
Pa O’Dwyer — Ireland
13
6
Eddie Williams — Australia
9
Group 2
Rank
Name
Points
1
Oleksii Novikov — Ukraine (QUALIFIED)
23
2
Luke Stoltman — United Kingdom (QUALIFIED THROUGH STONE-OFF)
21
3
Gavin Bilton — United Kingdom
20
4
Thomas Evans — USA
18
5
Kristján Jón Haraldsson — Iceland
15.5
6
Fadi El Masri — Lebanon
7.5
Group 3
Rank
Name
Points
1
Mitchell Hooper — Canada (QUALIFIED)
29
2
Mathew Ragg — New Zealand (QUALIFIED THROUGH STONE-OFF)
22.5
3
Aivars Smaukstelis — Latvia
17.5
4
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — Poland
14
5
Graham Hicks — United Kingdom
11.5
6
Spenser Remick — USA
10.5
Group 4
Rank
Name
Points
1
Jaco Schoonwinkel — South Africa (QUALIFIED)
24
2
Brian Shaw — USA (QUALIFIED THROUGH STONE-OFF)
23.5
3
Rauno Heinla — Estonia
20.5
4
Adam Bishop — United Kingdom
14
5
Kevin Faires — USA
13.5
6
Gabriel Rhéaume — Canada
9.5
Group 5
Rank
Name
Points
1
Trey Mitchell — USA (Qualified)
26
2
Evan Singleton — USA (QUALIFIED THROUGH STONE-OFF)
24.5
3
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — Iceland
22.5
4
Mark Felix — United Kingdom
12.5
5
Paul Smith — United Kingdom
11
6
Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — France
8.5
Qualifying Recap — Day Two
Conan’s Wheel
The Conan’s Wheel, known for the pain it produces, depletes many strongmen’s energy reserves. The challenge involves holding a 200-kilogram beam in their forearms while attempting to cover as much distance as possible. This often proves to be one of the most difficult challenges in Strongman. After picking up the beam, which is fixed to the pivot in the center, athletes were not allowed to drop it. Once it was dropped, their result was calculated in degrees.
Group One
Pavlo Kordiyaka — 742 °
Pa O’Dwyer — 722 °
Bobby Thompson — 649 °
Konstantine Janashia — 633 °
Eddie Williams — 614 °
Tom Stoltman — 598 °
Group Two
Oleksii Novikov — 897 °
Gavin Bilton — 557 °
Luke Stoltman — 545 °
Kristján Jón Haraldsson — 524 °
Fadi El Masri — 70 °
Thomas Evans — 69 °
Group Three
Mitchell Hooper — 636 °
Mathew Ragg — 628 °
Aivars Smaukstelis — 575 °
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 538 °
Spenser Remick — 470 °
Graham Hicks — 425 °
Group Four
Jaco Schoonwinkel — 713 °
Kevin Faires — 636 °
Rauno Heinla — 572 °
Gabriel Rheaume — 476 °
Brian Shaw — 411 °
Adam Bishop — 292 °
Group Five
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 629 °
Evan Singleton — 589 °
Trey Mitchell — 523 °
Paul Smith — 518 °
Mark Felix — 470 °
Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — 143 °
Kettlebell Toss
The Kettlebell Toss was another interesting qualifying event, but this one focused more on speed than endurance. Participants in the 2023 World’s Strongest Man faced seven kettlebells weighing between 20 and 31 kilograms, which they had to throw over a 4.57-meter-tall beam as quickly as possible.
Group One
Pavlo Kordiyaka — 6 in 18.09 s
Konstantine Janashia — 6 in 19.93 s
Tom Stoltman — 6 in 21.99 s
Pa O’Dwyer — 6 in 31.71 s
Bobby Thompson — 6 in 35.67 s
Eddie Williams — 6 in 36.40 s
Group Two
Gavin Bilton — 6 in 19.90 s
Luke Stoltman — 6 in 49.35 s
Thomas Evans — 5 in 28.68 s
Kristján Jón Haraldsson — 5 in 15.57 s
Fadi El Masri — 4 in 20.61 s
Oleksii Novikov — 1 in 9.56 s
Group Three
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 7 in 32.44 s
Mitchell Hooper — 6 in 17.18 s
Mathew Ragg — 6 in 21.96 s
Aivars Smaukstelis — 6 in 25.41 s
Spenser Remick — 5 in 24.31 s
Graham Hicks — 4 in 20.51 s
Group Four
Brian Shaw — 7 in 48.45 s
Adam Bishop — 6 in 32.29 s
Jaco Schoonwinkel — 6 in 47.32 s
Kevin Faires — 5 in 34.09 s
Rauno Heinla — 5 in 44.51 s
Gabriel Rheaume — 3 in 14.00 s
Group Five
Trey Mitchell — 7 in 34.42 s
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 6 in 27.66 s
Evan Singleton — 6 in 28.81 seconds
Mark Felix — 4 in 42.66 s
Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — 2 in 23.65 s
Paul Smith — 1 in 28.62 s
Stone Off
The Stone Off was the final event of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man Qualifying stage, and only the 2nd and 3rd place finishers from each group took part. The athletes dueled against each other by lifting and tossing increasingly heavy Atlas Stones to the other man’s side. The first athlete unable to lift the stone anymore was declared the loser. The 2nd place finisher from the group did have a slight advantage, since the 3rd place finisher had to lift the stone first and thus had a higher chance of failing the lift.
Group One
Tom Stoltman: Won
Bobby Thompson: Lost
Group Two
Luke Stoltman: Won
Gavin Bilton: Lost
Group Three
Mathew Ragg: Won
Aivars Smaukstelis: Lost
Group Four
Brian Shaw: Won
Rauno Heinla: Lost
Group Five
Evan Singleton: Won
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted: Lost
Qualifying Recap — Day One
Loading Race
The first event of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition was the Loading Race. In this event, athletes had to pick up, carry, and load a Husafell sandbag, heavy sandbag, anvil, and two bundles of logs within a time limit of 90 seconds.
Group One
Pavlo Kordiyaka — 5 in 41.38 s
Tom Stoltman — 5 in 43.84 s
Bobby Thompson — 5 in 56.56 s
Konstantine Janashia — 5 in 61.10 s
Pa O’Dwyer — 5 in 65.89 s
Eddie Williams — 5 in 66.44 s
Group Two
Oleksii Novikov — 5 in 52.15 s
Kristján Jón Haraldsson — 5 in 54.18 s
Thomas Evans — 5 in 57.40 s
Luke Stoltman — 5 in 62.78 s
Gavin Bilton — 5 in 63.01 s
Fadi El Masri — 4 in 49.57 s
Group Three
Mitchell Hooper — 5 in 42.05 s
Aivars Smaukstelis — 5 in 52.71 s
Mathew Ragg — 5 in 58.72 s
Spenser Remick — 5 in 67.15 s
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 5 in 67.53 s
Graham Hicks — 4 in 53.40 s
Group Four
Jaco Schoonwinkel — 5 in 47.10 s
Rauno Heinla — 5 in 51.41 s
Brian Shaw — 5 in 53.70 s
Adam Bishop — 4 in 43.12 s
Gabriel Rheaume — 4 in 51.03 s
Kevin Faires — 3 in 65.30 s
Group Five
Evan Singleton — 5 in 46.90 s
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 5 in 56.41 s
Trey Mitchell — 5 in 66.64 s
Paul Smith — 4 in 44.79 s
Mark Felix — 4 in 54.32 s
Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — 3 in 40.63 s
Deadlift Machine
The next challenge at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man was the Deadlift Machine. A specialized piece of equipment was created for athletes to perform quick transitions to heavier weights between each repetition. The weights used in this event ranged from 290 kilograms to 385 kilograms.
Group One
Bobby Thompson — 7 reps
Konstantine Janashia — 6 reps
Tom Stoltman — 6 reps
Pavlo Kordiyaka — 5 reps
Pa O’Dwyer — 5 reps
Eddie Williams — 5 reps
Group Two
Oleksii Novikov — 6 reps
Gavin Bilton — 5 reps
Thomas Evans — 5 reps
Luke Stoltman — 5 reps
Kristján Jón Haraldsson — 4 reps
Fadi El Masri — 4 reps
Group Three
Mitchell Hooper — 8 reps
Graham Hicks — 7 reps
Mathew Ragg — 7 reps
Spenser Remick — 5 reps
Aivars Smaukstelis — 5 reps
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 4 reps
Group Four
Rauno Heinla — 8 reps
Brian Shaw — 8 reps
Adam Bishop — 7 reps
Jaco Schoonwinkel — 6 reps
Kevin Faires — 5 reps
Gabriel Rheaume — 5 reps
Group Five
Trey Mitchell — 8 reps
Evan Singleton — 6 reps
Mark Felix — 6 reps
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 5 reps
Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — 5 reps
Paul Smith — 4 reps
Log Ladder
At the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, participants found themselves at the starting line facing five logs with increasing weights. Their goal was to complete all the logs in the shortest time possible, but they also had a time limit of 75 seconds.
Group One
Tom Stoltman — 5 in 41.50 s
Pavlo Kordiyaka — 5 in 46.00 s
Bobby Thompson — 4 in 25.83 s
Eddie Williams — 4 in 55.89 s
Konstantine Janashia — 4 in 68.35 s
Pa O’Dwyer — 3 in 25.80 s
Group Two
Tom Stoltman — 5 in 41.50 s
Pavlo Kordiyaka — 5 in 46.00 s
Bobby Thompson — 4 in 25.83 s
Eddie Williams — 4 in 55.89 s
Konstantine Janashia — 4 in 68.35 s
Pa O’Dwyer — 3 in 25.80 s
Group Three
Mitchell Hooper — 5 in 39.51 s
Mathew Ragg — 5 in 55.84 s
Graham Hicks — 4 in 28.31 s
Aivars Smaukstelis — 4 in 30.44 s
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 4 in 33.24 s
Spenser Remick — 4 in 38.79 s
Group Four
Brian Shaw — 4 in 33.99 s
Jaco Schoonwinkel — 4 in 34.77 s
Rauno Heinla — 3 in 21.60 s
Kevin Faires — 3 in 28.93 s
Gabriel Rheaume — 3 in 32.96 s
Adam Bishop — 3 in 33.25 s
Group Five
Trey Mitchell — 5 in 39.44 s
Evan Singleton — 4 in 35.48 s
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 4 in 39.93 s
Paul Smith — 4 in 45.84 s
Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — 3 in 22.34 s
Mark Felix — 1 in 7.58 s
Related: Mark Felix Retires From World’s Strongest Man Appearances; A Tribute to a Strongman Legend
Previous World’s Strongest Man Winners
Tom Stoltman (2021, 2022)
Oleksii Novikov (2020)
Martins Licis (2019)
Hafthór Júlíus Björnsson (2018)
Eddie Hall (2017)
Brian Shaw (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016)
Žydrūnas Savickas (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Phil Pfister (2006)
Vasyl Virastyuk (2004)
Mariusz Pudzianowski (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008)
Svend Karlsen (2001)
Janne Virtanen (2000)
Magnus Samuelson (1998)
Jouko Ahola (1997, 1999)
Gary Taylor (1993)
Ted van der Parre (1992)
Magnús Ver Magnússon (1991, 1994-1996)
Jamie Reeves (1989)
Jón Páll Sigmarsson (1984, 1986, 1988, 1990)
Geoff Capes (1983, 1985)
Bill Kazmaier (1980-1982)
Don Reinhoudt (1979)
Bruce Wilhelm (1977-1978)
Related: Every Winner of The World’s Strongest Man Competition Since 1977
FAQs
How Does The Scoring System Work?The resulting system is based on the number of competitors. Seeing that there are six athletes in each group, the winner of the event gets six points, with every following position receiving one point less.
Who Won Last Year’s World’s Strongest Man Title?Tom Stoltman from Scotland is the reigning 2x World’s Strongest Man champion. He won two consecutive titles in 2021 and 2022.
Which World’s Strongest Man Is Inducted Into Hall Of Fame?The WSM Hall of Fame is a club of the most impressive Strongman athletes in history. It was established in 2008, but still features only a small number of athletes. The Hall of Fame has six members as of 2022: Bill Kazmaier, Mariusz Pudzianowski, Svend Karlsen, Magnús Ver Magnússon, Jón Páll Sigmarsson, and Magnus Samuelsson.
Is this the final appearance for Brian Shaw?Yes, Brian Shaw no longer plans on competing at the WSM following this year. However, he will still appear at the 2023 Shaw Classic before retiring from Strongman completely.
Full WSM 2023 Coverage
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, event recaps, in-depth analysis, and results: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 22 April, 2023 | 10:38 AM EDT
2023 World’s Strongest Man Finalist Revealed
The 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition is taking place from April 19-23 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. However, the biggest Strongman competition was divided into two parts, the Qualifying and the Finals. The first two days were the qualifiers, followed by one day of rest, and then two days of Finals. Now that the qualifiers are over, we know which ten athletes will compete for the prestigious title in the finals.
The qualifying stage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man contest consisted of six events evenly divided across the two days. Those events were: Loading Race, Deadlift Machine, Log Ladder, Conan’s Wheel, Kettlebell Toss, and Stone-Off. However, the Stone-Off was only for a selected few athletes.
The path to the finals of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man can have two routes. The first step was to become an overall winner in any of the groups. So, half of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals lineup qualified directly.
The other way to qualify for the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals was to emerge victorious in a Stone-Off duel. However, only the second-place and third-place finisher from each group was able to compete in this event. After that, they faced off against each other to lift and toss the Atlas Stone. The first person who couldn’t win lost. The winner moved on to the final round, while the loser’s campaign ended there.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Final Roster
Qualified Directly
Pavlo Kordiyaka — Ukraine
Oleksii Novikov — Ukraine
Mitchell Hooper — Canada
Jaco Schoonwinkel — South Africa
Trey Mitchell — USA
Qualified Through Stone-Off
Tom Stoltman (Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man)
Related: Eddie Hall Reveals His Top 3 Predictions For The 2023 World’s Strongest Man
A simple look at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals lineup gives a good picture of what the second portion of the competition will look like. Seemingly a perfect balance between experienced athletes and young talent is sure to be an exciting clash.
It is hard to predict who could win the competition, since someone like Brian Shaw dedicated more time to preparing for the finals than for the qualifying round. Therefore, his performance in the qualifying rounds does not necessarily reflect his performance in the finals.
However, an interesting potential winner could be Mitchell Hooper. Inspired by his victory at the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic, Mitchell Hooper won four out of the five events in his qualifying group.
It is also hard to rule out the 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man, Pavlo Kordiyaka, who was in a group with the 2x reigning WSM champion, Tom Stoltman, and still beat everyone. Speaking of Tom, he will definitely not give up his title without a fight.
Another Ukrainian has impressed everyone in qualifying and that is Oleksii Novikov. The 2020 WSM champion already knows what it takes to win, which is why his qualifying campaign was very calculated. He did not waste a drop of energy that wasn’t needed, leaving everything for the finals.
Of course, a surprise from other athletes in the lineup is also a realistic possibility, since many of them exceeded everyone’s expectations already.
Related: Every Winner of The World’s Strongest Man Competition Since 1977
2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals Schedule
Day Three, April 22nd — Finals
Event One — Fingal’s Fingers – 8 a.m. EST
Event Two — Knaack Deadlift – 10:41 a.m. EST
Event Three — Reign Shield Carry – 2:18 p.m. EST
Day Four, April 23rd — Finals
Event Four — Max Dumbbell – 8 a.m. EST
Event Five — Vehicle Pull – 10:10 a.m. EST
Event Six — Atlas Stones – 1:54 p.m. EST
Full WSM 2023 Coverage
There isn’t a way to watch the 2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals live, as the show will only be broadcasted in the summer. Nevertheless, we have covered every aspect of this competition, and we will continue to do so. This includes live updates, results, news, and much more. Be sure to check in when the finals start so that you don’t miss anything.
Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, event recaps, in-depth analysis, and results: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 21 April, 2023 | 10:02 AM EDT
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