Tag: Strongman

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

By Muscle Insider

April 23, 2023

3 min read

Muscle Chemistry Archive

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

By Muscle Insider

April 23, 2023

3 min read

Muscle Chemistry Archive

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

By Muscle Insider

April 22, 2023

4 min read

Muscle Chemistry Archive

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

By Muscle Insider

April 22, 2023

10 min read

Muscle Chemistry Archive

Hafthor Bjornsson Shares Doctor’s Update on Pec Tear Ahead of Surgery: ‘Swelling is Getting Worse’

Strongman icon Hafthor Bjornsson is on the road to recovery after suffering a setback during a powerlifting competition. In a recent video uploaded to YouTube, Bjornsson shared a highly-anticipated update with a doctor regarding his pec tear injury. This comes shortly ahead of Hafthor’s planned surgery that should set the road for a successful comeback.
Hafthor Bjornsson took the strongman world by storm in 2011 when he emerged as one of the youngest finalists in the history of the World’s Strongest Man competition. He then established a reputation of title contention with several top-three placings over the next few years. So, after being the runner-up for two years in a row, Bjornsson finally secured the WSM title in 2018. Besides the WSM contests, Bjornsson racked up multiple wins in other events, including Europe’s Strongest Man and Arnold Strongman Classic.
Bjornsson briefly stepped away from professional strength sports to explore his passion for boxing in 2020. He boasted a leaner look to clash with fellow Strongman legend Eddie Hall inside the boxing ring in a match billed as The Heaviest Boxing Match in History in March 2022. In the end, he came out on top of the judges’ scorecards after a dominant performance. This resulted in rumors about fights with Tyson Fury and Martyn Ford, but Bjornsson ultimately decided to retire from boxing.
Having decided against continuing his run in combat sports, the 34-year-old announced his return to Strongman last October. He got to work in preparation for attempting the Weight Over Bar Record at the 2022 Rogue Invitational. He made a statement in his comeback as he set the new record at 20-feet 3-inches.

Hafthor Bjornsson was working on his lower body strength when he narrowly avoided an injury on the squat rack in November 2022. He crushed a heavy set of 340-kg (749.6-lb) squats for two reps before the bar stumbled while being racked. The only thing that saved him was his quick thinking and experience.
’Thor’ amped up his preparations with a huge 793.6-lb (360-kg) deadlift for two reps ahead of a powerlifting comeback. Following that, Bjornsson smoked a set of 429.9-lb (195-kg) paused bench press. Expectedly, his hard work paid off as he got gold in his return to powerlifting a few months ago. He recorded a total of 2,138.5-lb (970-kg) in the three lifts.
Hafthor also got inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023 two months ago. However, he still targeted adding the All Time World Record in powerlifting before moving to strongman again next year to continue building up his legacy. Last month, Bjornsson showed off his insane strength by crushing an 837.7-lb (380-kg) squat on the way to his goal of lifting 970 pounds. Then, he pulled off a 925.95-lb (420-kg) raw squat in training.
On April 15, Bjornsson hosted a powerlifting competition in his gym in Iceland. He ended up tearing his pec muscle after trying to score a new competition PR on the bench press of 556.7-lb (252.5-kg). He revealed he’d completely torn his upper chest and would need to undergo surgery.

Hafthor Bjornsson shares Doctor’s Update on pec tear
In a recent YouTube video, Hafthor Bjornsson shared an update on his road to recovery from the pec tear injury.
“A quick update I did my MRI yesterday,” said Bjornsson. “Today, I’m going to see the doctor to basically go over the MRI and decided to do my surgery in the States with a specialist that specializes in practice. I am optimistic and positive.
“I can move my arm, there’s no really huge discomfort right now which is good. The swelling is getting worse, it’s getting quite worse and worse every day. I booked my surgery on 26 April.”
Bjornsson’s doctor gave his take on the severity of the tear and explained what to expect ahead as he gears up for surgery.
“The tunnel external part of the pectoralis muscle there’s a huge tear here in the muscle. You can see some part of the tendon is underneath the muscle and goes towards the humerus, the humeral insertion, which should be here so it looks like you have quite a big tear in a region of the muscle and Pantone area so it won’t be easy to say until after the surgery how it is to repair completely,” said the doctor. “Difficult to say but I think the main thing is now that this happens soon, that you can go to the surgery as soon as possible so I think I’m almost certain that it’s possible to repair most of the tandem but I’m not sure how it’s completely.”
“Usually it will heal very well. It will heal with a certain amount of scar tissue and so you will have to have a good physiotherapist after the surgery two have a good range of motion and do a good exercise and also give it good time like six to 12 weeks to heal before you start doing heavy work.”
Hafthor Bjornsson’s injury appears to be a major one. Hopefully, he undergoes a successful surgery and gets back on track to full health sooner than later.
You can watch the full video below.

Published: 21 April, 2023 | 4:04 PM EDT

By Muscle Insider

April 21, 2023

5 min read

Muscle Chemistry Archive

Mark Felix Retires From World’s Strongest Man Appearances; A Tribute to a Strongman Legend

The 2023 World’s Strongest Man will be remembered for multiple things. While some great performances are definitely notable, what brings a tear to some Strongman fans’ faces is Mark Felix, as it was his final World’s Strongest Man appearance ever. After 18 years of appearances, Mark decided to officially put an end to this portion of his professional career.
Despite his best efforts, Mark Felix failed to qualify for the finals of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition after two days. Thus, he didn’t even get a chance to qualify via the Stone-Off and was forced to watch the finals from the sidelines.
Mark Felix also became the oldest man to appear in the World’s Strongest Man, adding another record to his resume. Taking everything into account, Mark is definitely a legend of the sport, especially due to his incredible longevity. This makes him a Hall of Fame caliber Strongman, since he is a very unique figure.
Another interesting fact is that Mark Felix was 37-years-old when he first started doing Strongman. Therefore, he accomplished what many people believed was an impossible task. During his 18 appearances at the WSM, Mark managed to advance to three finals. Out of those, his greatest placing came in 2006 when Mark finished in fourth-place, missing out on the podium by just a few points.
Mark Felix’s 2023 WSM Performances
Day One

Loading Race — 4 in 54.32 s (Fifth-place)
Deadlift Machine — 6 reps (Third-place)
Log Ladder — 1 in 7.58 s (Sixth-place)

Day Two

Conan’s Wheel — 470 ° (Fifth-place)
Kettlebell Toss — 4 in 42.66 s (Fourth-place)

Related: 2023 World’s Strongest Man Finalist Revealed
Mark Felix made his debut at the World’s Strongest Man competition in 2004, following which ensued an incredible career. Interestingly, at the time of Mark Felix’s WSM debut, many of today’s greatest athletes were not even out of their teen years.
Mark Felix also boasts an incredible career outside of WSM as well, since he accumulated 123 International and National competition appearances. Out of those, he only won three, but stood on the podium numerous times.
However, Mark Felix became a sensation in the strength community due to his mind-blowing grip strength. His feats of strength on grip events, most notably the Hercules Hold, have gone viral on multiple occasions.
Luckily, we will still get to witness Mark Felix’s greatness in competitions other than the World’s Strongest Man. He plans on competing in other Giants Live competitions. So, his retirement will not come quite yet.
Mark Felix was also not the only man to make his final WSM appearance this year, as Brian Shaw did the same. However, Brian managed to qualify for the finals. So, it still remains to be seen if he can win his fifth WSM title this year.

Related: Eddie Hall Reveals His Top 3 Predictions For The 2023 World’s Strongest Man
It will be very unusual to see the lineup for the next World’s Strongest Man competition without Mark Felix in it. However, the Strongman is currently in the best position it has ever been, with tons of young talent coming out. Many of Mark’s fans would still prefer to watch him compete in other events and continue to defy the aging process.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Content

By Muscle Insider

April 21, 2023

3 min read

Muscle Chemistry Archive

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

By Muscle Insider

April 21, 2023

4 min read

Muscle Chemistry Archive

2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals Lineup Revealed

Pavlo Kordiyaka — Ukraine
Oleksii Novikov — Ukraine
Mitchell Hooper — Canada
Jaco Schoonwinkel — South Africa
Trey Mitchell — USA

Qualified Through Stone-Off

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

By Muscle Insider

April 20, 2023

4 min read

Muscle Chemistry Archive

2023 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Qualifiers [Live Updates]

The second day of qualifying for the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition is scheduled to take place today, April 20th, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Having experienced some shocking results on day one, 30 athletes have gotten a good night’s sleep to prepare themselves for today’s challenges. They are now all ready to take part in two events today, Conan’s Wheel and Kettlebell Throw. However, the second and third place finishers in each group will also perform a third event, the Stone-Off duel, in order to find out who goes through to the finals.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Leaderboards & Point Standings [Live]
Group One

Tom Stoltman — United Kingdom: 15.5 points
Bobby Thompson — USA: 14 points
Pavlo Kordiyaka — Ukraine: 13 points
Konstantine Janashia — Georgia: 9.5 points
Eddie Williams — Australia: 6 points
Pa O’Dwyer — Ireland: 5 points

Group Two

Oleksii Novikov — Ukraine: 22 points
Luke Stoltman — United Kingdom : 16 points
Thomas Evans — USA: 15 points
Gavin Bilton — United Kingdom: 14 points
Kristján Jón Haraldsson — Iceland: 11.5 points
Fadi El Masri — Lebanon: 5.5 points

Group Three

Mitchell Hooper — Canada: 18 points
Mathew Ragg — Australia: 13.5 points
Aivars Smaukstelis — Latvia: 10.5 points
Graham Hicks — United Kingdom: 9.5 points
Spenser Remick — USA: 6.5 points
Mateusz Kieliszkowski — Poland: 5 points

Group Four

Brian Shaw — USA: 15.5 points
Rauno Heinla — Estonia: 14.5 points
Jaco Schoonwinkel — South Africa: 14 points
Adam Bishop — United Kingdom: 8 points
Kevin Faires — USA: 5.5 points
Gabriel Rhéaume — Canada: 5.5 points

Group Five

Trey Mitchell — USA: 16 points
Evan Singleton — USA: 15.5 points
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — Iceland: 11.5 points
Mark Felix — United Kingdom: 7.5 points
Paul Smith — United Kingdom: 7 points
Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — France: 6.5 points

Related: Eddie Hall Reveals His Top 3 Predictions For The 2023 World’s Strongest Man
2023 World’s Strongest Man Day Two Event Recap
Conan’s Wheel
The Conan’s Wheel is despised by the majority of Strongman athletes due to the pain that it produces, but it is very effective in separating the best performers. In this event, the athletes have to pick up a 200-kilogram (440.9-pound) beam, which pivots around a fixed point in the center, and carry the weight for as long as possible. Having to perform the event for max distance, the athletes are not allowed to drop it at all since that would mark the end of their attempt. The beam is usually placed on the forearms of the athletes, meaning that the entire body has to be activated in order to perform well.
The result is measured in degrees, with 360° equaling one full circle.
Group One
Pavlo Kordiyaka is notoriously great at this event and he expectedly won the event by completing just over two full circles. He utilized a technique of controlled breathing and a steady pace to win, an event of this magnitude demonstrates the importance of planning in advance.
Pa O’Dwyer finished in second with 722 degrees and was the only man close to Pavlo. However, Pa almost fainted at the end of the event, having dropped his entire upper body over the beam in order to stay on his feet. Bobby Thompson covered 649 degrees for a third place finish.
The first surprise of the day was also seen in group one, as Tom Stoltman finished in last place. He started off well, but his forearms slipped down very quickly, making it harder for him to hold the beam.

Pavlo Kordiyaka — 742 °
Pa O’Dwyer — 722 °
Bobby Thompson — 649 °
Konstantine Janashia — 633 °
Eddie Williams — 614 °
Tom Stoltman — 598 °

Group Two
It was clear that Oleksii Novikov was determined to secure his place in the finals as early as possible and leave nothing to chance. By covering a distance of 897 degrees, Oleksii demolished everyone in his group and extended his overall lead to an uncatchable six points.
Gavin Bilton finished in second after a very elegant attempt. While many athletes were very unstable in this event, especially at the end, Bilton was upright and stable. He kept the same pace throughout and just suddenly dropped the beam. However, with 557 degrees, he still managed to outperform Luke Stoltman by 12 degrees.

Oleksii Novikov — 897 °
Gavin Bilton — 557 °
Luke Stoltman — 545 °
Kristján Jón Haraldsson — 524 °
Fadi El Masri — 70 °
Thomas Evans — 69 °

*Results for remaining groups are coming soon.
Kettlebell Toss
The next event at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man will be the Kettlebell Toss. It is arguably the most important event in the qualifying stage of the competition, since the first place overall will qualify for the finals. On the other hand, the fifth and sixth place overall will lose the chance to qualify at all. So, this event presents the final chance for everyone.
For the Kettlebell Toss, the athletes will be tasked with throwing seven kettlebells over a 4.57-meter tall beam. The seven implements will start at a weight of 20 kilograms (44 pounds) and progressively increase with each next one. The final kettlebell is set to weigh 31 kilograms (68.3 pounds). However, the participants only have 60 seconds to complete all implements.
*The Kettlebell Toss event is set to start at 1:20 p.m. EST. Results are coming soon.
Stone Off
The final event of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man qualifiers is the Stone Off. Only two athletes will take part in this event, and those are the second and third place finishers in each group.
The second-place finisher and third-place finisher from the same group will be stationed on two sides of one beam. The third-place winner will then lift and toss the Atlas Stone to the side of the second-place finisher, who will then do the same. This will go on until one of the men is unable to toss the Atlas Stone to the other man’s side. Consequently, the winner of this duel will secure his place in the finals, while the loser will go home.
*The Stone Off event is set to take place at 6:13 p.m. EST. Results are coming soon.

Related: Brian Shaw Announces 2023 Will Be His Last World’s Strongest Man Appearance: ‘It’s Going To Be Special’
2023 World’s Strongest Man Remaining 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

Previous World’s Strongest Man Winners

Bruce Wilhelm (1977-1978)
Don Reinhoudt (1979)
Bill Kazmaier (1980-1982)
Geoff Capes (1983, 1985)
Jón Páll Sigmarsson (1984, 1986, 1988, 1990)
Jamie Reeves (1989)
Magnús Ver Magnússon (1991, 1994-1996)
Ted van der Parre (1992)
Gary Taylor (1993)
Jouko Ahola (1997, 1999)
Magnus Samuelson (1998)
Janne Virtanen (2000)
Svend Karlsen (2001)
Mariusz Pudzianowski (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008)
Vasyl Virastyuk (2004)
Phil Pfister (2006)
Žydrūnas Savickas (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014)
Brian Shaw (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016)
Eddie Hall (2017)
Hafthór Júlíus Björnsson (2018)
Martins Licis (2019)
Oleksii Novikov (2020)
Tom Stoltman (2021, 2022)

Read More: Every Winner of The World’s Strongest Man Competition Since 1977
How To Watch
You can’t watch the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition live online unless you’re in Myrtle Beach, SC. But, we’ll provide a detailed summary of the event for you to stay informed.
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.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Content

Find complete coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, including exclusive interviews, event recaps, analysis, and results at our WSM coverage hub: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
Published: 20 April, 2023 | 9:17 AM EDT

By Muscle Insider

April 20, 2023

7 min read

Muscle Chemistry Archive

Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou Withdraws From 2023 World’s Strongest Man; Kristján Jón Haraldsson Steps In

Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou is arguably the greatest Strongman from the African continent, but he has not competed in a standard competition for almost two years. Consequently, he was thrilled to be named in the 30-man lineup for the 2023 World’s Strongest Man, taking place in Myrtle Beach, SC, from April 19-23. When the competition…

By Muscle Insider

April 19, 2023

3 min read