World’s Strongest Man
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The World's Strongest Man is an international
strongman Strongman is a competitive strength sport which tests athletes' physical strength and endurance through a variety of heavy lifts and events. Strongman competitions are known for their intensity, pushing athletes to their physical and mental limit ...
competition held every year. Organized by American event management company
IMG img or IMG is an abbreviation for image. img or IMG may also refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics *IMG (file format), file that stores a complete and uncompressed copy of the contents of a storage device * IMG, a prefix for camera ima ...
, a subsidiary of Endeavor, it is broadcast in the US during summers and in the UK around the end of December each year. Competitors qualify based on placing in the top three at the four to eight
Giants Live Giants Live is a professional strongman tour which was originated in the United Kingdom. It hosts several prominent competitions each year, including national competitions such as Britain's Strongest Man, international competitions such as Eur ...
events each year. The current event sponsor is SBD Apparel. The competition has been won by 25 men representing 14 nationalities. Three of the champions have been inducted into the
International Sports Hall of Fame The International Sports Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is a section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2012 by Dr. Robert M. Goldman to honor exceptional athletes and sporting figures for their accomplishments and dedication to furthering ...
.


History

There are now several documentaries available that chart the history of WSM. The first major one is Worlds Strongest Man - Thirty Years Of Pain from 2008, celebrating the 30th anniversary. In 2017, a series of videos were released in recognition of the 40th anniversary of the contest.


1970s–1980s

The concept behind "The World's Strongest Men", as it was originally named, was developed in 1977 for
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
by Langstar Inc. David Webster, a Scot who later received an
OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
for his services to sport, was the head coordinator of the competition from its inception. Douglas Edmunds, seven-time Scottish shot and discus champion and twice world caber champion, worked with Webster and when Webster retired, Edmunds took over. These two men were responsible for inviting the competitors and choosing the events. In the meantime, in 1982, CBS sold the rights to the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
, who in turn sold the rights to
TWI Twi (; ) is the common name of the Akan literary language of Asante and Akuapem. Effectively, it is a synonym for 'Akan' that is not used by the Fante people. It is not a linguistic grouping, but more of a common name used by inland Akans as ...
. In 1987, the WSM was not held for the only time since its inception. In that year, the first and only non-team Pure Strength competition was held, but it was not part of the WSM franchise. For the first several contests, American color commentators and analysts were used on the network broadcast. These included
Brent Musburger Brent Woody Musburger (born May 26, 1939) is an American sportscaster, currently the lead broadcaster and managing editor at Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN). With CBS Sports from 1973 until 1990, he was the original host of their ...
,
Tom Brookshier Thomas Jefferson Brookshier (; December 16, 1931 – January 29, 2010) was an American football player, coach, and sportscaster. He played as a cornerback with the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, fro ...
, and acknowledged strength authority, journalist and author
Terry Todd Terence 'Terry' Todd (January 1, 1938 – July 7, 2018) was an American powerlifter, Olympic weightlifter, author, researcher, historian, and a strength and physical culture promoter. Todd was co-founder of the H.J. Lutcher Stark ...
. Todd was a former powerlifting world record holder himself and went on to establish the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports in 1990. He also was asked to establish the
Arnold Strongman Classic The Arnold Strongman Classic is an annual competition featuring strength athletes from all over the world, determining who is the Strongest Man in the World. Created by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Lorimer and Terry Todd, it is an offshoot of t ...
in 2002 by
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
. During this early period, the contest ranks consisted mostly of American football players, powerlifters, and bodybuilders and were held in American locations until it was moved to Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1983. Two-time winner
Bruce Wilhelm Bruce Wilhelm (born July 13, 1945) is a former weightlifter and strongman from the United States. He is a two-time winner of the World's Strongest Man competition in 1977 and 1978 and the author of numerous strength-related articles and books. H ...
(USA) retired and was succeeded by
Don Reinhoudt Donald C. Reinhoudt (March 5, 1945 – July 3, 2023) was an American powerlifter and strongman. He won the IPF World Powerlifting Superheavyweight Championship four consecutive times (1973–1976), and won the World's Strongest Man in 1979. Wi ...
in 1979, a 162.1 kg (357 lb) heavyweight powerlifter of the US. Reinhoudt still holds several unequipped world records in powerlifting. In 1979, newcomer and powerlifter
Bill Kazmaier William Kazmaier (born December 30, 1953) is an American former world champion powerlifter, world champion strongman and professional wrestler. During his illustrious career, he set over 40 powe ...
(USA) made his appearance, coming in 3rd after leading much of the competition. He dominated the sport to such an extent from 1980 to 1982, winning by a record 28 points in 1980. He reportedly was excluded from the competition for five years, after becoming the first man to win three consecutive WSM titles. He set prodigious marks with a 478.6 kg (1055 lb) silver dollar coin deadlift, 439.6 kg (969 lb) squat (smith machine), and a then-record 165.6 kg (365 lb) log lift with a rough, unbalanced log. This eventually earned him a place in the WSM Hall of Fame. After Kazmaier left, his nearest rival, former Olympian
Geoff Capes Geoffrey Lewis Capes JP (23 August 1949 – 23 October 2024) was a British shot putter, strongman, and Highland Games competitor. He was famous in the UK in the 1980s for his sporting prowess and appearances on television in shows such as '' ...
from the UK, traded wins with the Icelandic powerlifter
Jón Páll Sigmarsson Jón Páll Sigmarsson (28 April 1960 – 16 January 1993) was an Icelandic strongman, powerlifter and bodybuilder who was the first man to win the World's S ...
, with Capes winning in 1983 and 1985, and Sigmarsson in 1984 and 1986. Sigmarsson raised the popularity and awareness of the event to new levels. He died three years after winning his 4th and final WSM in 1990. In 1987, Sigmarsson defeated Capes and Kazmaier in Pure Strength. Kazmaier returned to WSM in 1988, but could not dethrone Sigmarsson, who won his 3rd title. The only other man to claim the title in this era was
Jamie Reeves Jamie Reeves (born 3 May 1962)David Webster, ''Sons of Samson Volume 2 Profiles'', page 103 (Ironmind Enterprises), is a British former coal miner, strongman and professional wrestler. As a strongman, he won the 1989 World's Strongest Man, w ...
, which he did in 1989. Reeves was injured in 1990, as Sigmarsson narrowly claimed his 4th title ahead of O.D. Wilson, who was leading by 5.5 points going into the final event, a controversial 200m race with 100 kg on the back. Sigmarsson won the event, and the much larger Wilson finished way down the field, meaning Jon Pall became the first man to claim four titles.


1990s

In 1995, Edmunds and Webster, along with representatives from the competitors including
Jamie Reeves Jamie Reeves (born 3 May 1962)David Webster, ''Sons of Samson Volume 2 Profiles'', page 103 (Ironmind Enterprises), is a British former coal miner, strongman and professional wrestler. As a strongman, he won the 1989 World's Strongest Man, w ...
, Ilkka Kinnunen and Marcel Mostert formed a governing body called the
International Federation of Strength Athletes The International Federation of Strength Athletes (IFSA or IFSA Strongman) was an international governing body for strongman competition. IFSA operated from 1995 to 2007 and was based in Glasgow, Scotland. History Origins In 1995, David Webst ...
("IFSA"). The IFSA began organizing bespoke events, such as the IFSA European Championships and also took the lead in working with the BBC and with TWI to organize the World's Strongest Man competition. For almost a decade, the IFSA and WSM were inextricably mixed, but this changed in 2004. The InvestGroup Ventures' sports rights management arm, InvestGroup Sports Management, invested heavily into IFSA and this led to the creation of IFSA Strongman. The strategy was to acquire most of the international assets and properties relating to the strongman sport. In essence, this was a new organisation with some, such as
Magnus Samuelsson Magnus Samuelsson (born December 21, 1969), is a Sweden, Swedish actor, former Strongman and the 1998 World's Strongest Man. Known as the 'king of the stones', he made it to the World's Strongest Man podium 5 times and the finals 10 times. The ...
, describing it as "a new company ... with the same name as our old federation". The attempt at dominance was not well received by TWI and disagreement ensued leading to a split in the sport. Previously, in 2001, the IFSA in its former guise had entered an agreement with World Class Events (WCE), headed by Ulf Bengtsson, to run the Super Series. This Super Series was designed to award the World Championship title, but also acted as a qualifying vehicle for the WSM. When strongman split in 2004, the Super Series sided with TWI forming a rival federation to the IFSA. With the WSM being a TWI owned event, IFSA Holdings announced its own World Championships for 2005, to be held in Quebec, and thus from that point had no involvement in the WSM contest. The split with IFSA, which banned its registered athletes from competing at WSM, meant that not all the recognized best strength athletes in the world were eligible to compete. However, the reputation of WSM as the premier event maintained its lure for broadcasting purposes. In recent years, the competition has been broadcast on
ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
,
ESPN2 ESPN2 is an American multinational pay television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%). ESPN2 was initially ...
, TSN,
Televisa Deportes TUDN (formerly Televisa Deportes) is a division of the Mexico, Mexican television broadcaster Televisa that produces sports programming for Las Estrellas, Canal 5 (Mexico), Canal 5, Nueve (Mexican TV network), Nueve, FOROtv, Foro TV and the Te ...
and Five, and currently
CBS Sports Network CBS Sports Network (a.k.a. CBSSN) is an American digital cable and satellite television network owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. When it launched in 2002 as the National College Sports Network (later College Sports ...
in the US. The longevity of the contest in strength athletics and its high levels of TV exposure over the years has led to it being described as ''"the granddaddy of all strongman contests"''. No other strongman contest commands close to the WSM's levels of TV exposure. The World's Strongest Man claims a viewership of 220 million. In the early 1990s,
Magnús Ver Magnússon Magnús Ver Magnússon (born 23 April 1963) is an Icelandic former powerlifter and strongman competitor. He is a four-time World's Strongest Man, having won in 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest strongmen o ...
(Iceland) won the title four times (1991, 1994–1996) and became the second and only man along with Kazmaier to win three consecutive titles. He came into the 1991 contest as the reserve and ended up winning the show, and is the only man to do so. Magnús also finished second in both 1992 and 1993. The 1992 contest was won by Dutchman Ted van der Parre, who at 7 feet tall, is the tallest man ever to win or compete at the World's Strongest Man. In one of the closest contests in the competition's history, just one point separated van der Parre in first from Magnús and
Jamie Reeves Jamie Reeves (born 3 May 1962)David Webster, ''Sons of Samson Volume 2 Profiles'', page 103 (Ironmind Enterprises), is a British former coal miner, strongman and professional wrestler. As a strongman, he won the 1989 World's Strongest Man, w ...
, who tied for second. In 1993, Welshman Gary Taylor became the shortest man to ever win the contest at just 6 feet tall, defeating Magnús and
Riku Kiri Riku Kiri (born April 5, 1963 in Kotka, Finland) is a Finnish former strongman and powerlifter, best known for competing in the World's Strongest Man competition, narrowly missing out on capturing the title on more than one occasion. He has been ...
of Finland. Magnús eventually won his second title in 1994, defeating Austrian Manfred Hoeberl in a closely-fought contest, with Kiri finishing third for the second year running. He retained his title the following year, with South African
Gerrit Badenhorst Gerrit Badenhorst (born 10 October 1962) is a former WPC world champion powerlifter and professional strongman competitor from South Africa. Powerlifting Badenhorst was born on 10 October 1962 in De Aar, Northern Cape, South Africa.David Web ...
and Finland's Marko Varalahti completing the podium. In 1996, Magnús made it to three titles in a row, with his closest competitor Kiri pulling out of the final event due to injury, but still finishing in second. Badenhorst made the podium for the second year in a row. None of these three men reached the final the following year. The late 1990s saw Scandinavian countries taking control of the title, and this lasted until 2002. The relatively light 125 kg (275 lb) but dynamic
Jouko Ahola Jouko Ahola (born 1 December 1970) is a Finland, Finnish former Strongman (strength athlete), strongman, powerlifter and actor. He is a two time World's Strongest Man winner, a two time Europe's Stron ...
from Finland won two titles in three years, 1997 and 1999. He later became a referee in WSM/strongman events and an actor. Sweden's
Magnus Samuelsson Magnus Samuelsson (born December 21, 1969), is a Sweden, Swedish actor, former Strongman and the 1998 World's Strongest Man. Known as the 'king of the stones', he made it to the World's Strongest Man podium 5 times and the finals 10 times. The ...
won claim the 1998 title, becoming the only man to defeat Ahola in a WSM contest.


2000s

Following Ahola's retirement, fellow Finn
Janne Virtanen Janne Virtanen (born 16 November 1969) is a Finnish former strongman who won the World's Strongest Man championship in 2000. He was runner-up in 1999 and finished third in 2001. His other championships include four-time Finland's Strongest Man ...
improved on his 1999 runner up finish and take the title for himself in
2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
. The final Scandinavian in this group to take the title was Norwegian
Svend Karlsen Svend Viking Karlsen (born 6 October 1967) is a Norwegian former strongman, powerlifter, bodybuilder and 2001 World's Strongest Man. Being a winner of the World's Strongest Man, the Europe's Strongest Man, the World Muscle Power Class ...
, who did so in
2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
. The early to late 2000s were dominated by five-time Polish winner
Mariusz Pudzianowski Mariusz Zbigniew Pudzianowski (; born 7 February 1977), also known as "Pudzian" and "Dominator", is a Polish people, Polish mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and former Strongman (strength athlete), strongman competitor. With Strongman#In ...
, earning him the nickname "The Dominator". Looking muscular and defined, he temporarily redefined what a strongman was in the world's eyes. At about 142 kg (313 lb) at max weight, he routinely beat men much bigger than he was. He combined speed and substantial strength in one package. Indeed, he was so dominant that three of his five championships (
2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...
,
2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
and
2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
) were won with an event to spare. His final win was in 2008 as bigger and taller men came into the sport. Pudzianowski's first title was in
2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
, as the era of Scandinavian dominance came to an end, with Lithuanian
Žydrūnas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas (; born July 15, 1975) is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout his career, he competed in and won 84 international competitions, including four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strong ...
and Latvian
Raimonds Bergmanis Total Raimonds Bergmanis (born 25 July 1966) is a Latvian politician and former List of Ministers of Defence of Latvia, Minister of Defence. He is also a former Olympic weightlifting, Olympic weightlifter and Strongma ...
completing the podium. He defended his title in 2003 in spectacular fashion. He won four of the seven events, and claiming two second places and a third place in the remaining events to finish with 66 out of a possible 70 points, and 20 ahead of runner up Savickas. 2003 was also the first appearance of Ukrainian
Vasyl Virastyuk Vasyl Yaroslavovych Virastyuk (; born 22 April 1974) is a Ukrainian politician and former strongman competitor. He is a brother of Roman Virastyuk. Virastyuk was the winner of World's Strongest Man 2004. In a 28 March 2021 parliamentary by-el ...
, who finished 3rd. In
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, Savickas and Virastyuk were tied for the lead heading into the final event, the Atlas Stones. Virastyuk defeated Savickas to claim the title, with the Lithuanian finishing as runner-up for the 3rd year in a row. Originally, Mariusz Pudzianowski finished in 3rd but was later disqualified after failing a drugs test, meaning
Magnus Samuelsson Magnus Samuelsson (born December 21, 1969), is a Sweden, Swedish actor, former Strongman and the 1998 World's Strongest Man. Known as the 'king of the stones', he made it to the World's Strongest Man podium 5 times and the finals 10 times. The ...
once again finished on the podium. Following the split of IFSA and WSM, most of the athletes stayed with IFSA. Pudzianowski was the only athlete from the 2004 contest to compete at WSM in 2005. He won the contest with an event to spare ahead of runner up Jesse Marunde, who with third place Dominic Filiou became the first non-Europeans to reach the podium of WSM since O.D. Wilson in 1990. The
2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...
competition ended in dramatic fashion: in the final, Mariusz Pudzianowski started well by coming tied-1st in the Deadlift and winning the Power Stairs easily; but by then winning the last 5 events in a row,
Phil Pfister Phil Pfister ( ; born May 15, 1971) is an American former strongman competitor and winner of the 2006 World's Strongest Man competition held in Sanya, China. He was the first American to win since Bill Kazmaier in 1982. Prior to 2006, Pfister' ...
edged out the Pole in the final event, the Atlas stones. Pfister became the first American to win the competition since 1982, and the first American ever to win the competition outside the United States. Pudzianowski regained his crown in
2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
, winning the contest with an event to spare. Fellow Pole
Sebastian Wenta Sebastian Wenta (born 1975), also known as Wentyl, is a former shot putter, strongman, and Highland Games competitor from Poland. Wenta's athletic career started with volleyball, and he eventually moved on to the shot put and discus throw. He b ...
claimed 2nd place, with Britain's
Terry Hollands Terry Hollands (born 6 June 1979) is a British bodybuilder and the winner of the 2bros Pro Luke Sandoe Classic Beginners Class 2019 bodybuilding championships. Hollands is also a retired strongman competitor and a past winner of England's Str ...
rounding out the podium. In
2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
,
Derek Poundstone Derek Anthony Poundstone (born September 28, 1981) is an American police officer, former professional strongman and strength coach from Woodbridge, Connecticut. He was the runner-up at the 2008 World ...
had a large lead over Mariusz Pudzianowski after three events but Pudzianowski tied the Deadlift event for first place and then won the crucial Plane Pull to narrow the gap. Pudzianowski and Poundstone then battled for the title of World's Strongest Man in the last event, the Atlas Stones. Pudzianowski blistered through the event and was able to keep pace with the heavier Poundstone. On the final stone, Pudzianowski was able to capitalize on Poundstone's drop and clinched his fifth title. In
2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
, the long-running IFSA/WSM split had ended, resulting in finally having all of the top strongmen from around the world compete in the same contest. Two-time IFSA World Champion
Žydrūnas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas (; born July 15, 1975) is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout his career, he competed in and won 84 international competitions, including four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strong ...
returned to the contest after 5 years and claimed his first WSM title, with defending champion Mariusz Pudzianowski coming in second in his final ever WSM contest. Another up and comer
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
placed third.


2010s

Žydrūnas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas (; born July 15, 1975) is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout his career, he competed in and won 84 international competitions, including four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strong ...
repeated his victory in
2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
, winning by countback against
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
in the closest finish in WSM history. Top IFSA competitor and fan favorite Mikhail Koklyaev finished third in his WSM debut. Savickas set a new world record in the Giant Wooden Log Lift with a lift of . In
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
,
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
and two-time defending champion
Žydrūnas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas (; born July 15, 1975) is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout his career, he competed in and won 84 international competitions, including four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strong ...
were tied on points going into the final event. Shaw defeated Savickas in the Atlas Stones, winning his first title. Over the next four years, the pair traded the title back and forth. Going into the
2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
contest, Shaw suffered from nerve damage in his hands and slipped down to fourth place. This opened the door for Savickas to capture his third WSM title, with fellow Lithuanian Vytautas Lalas coming in second and the Icelandic giant
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (; transliterated as Hafthor in English; born 26 November 1988) is an Icelandic professional strongman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes of all time. He is the first and only person t ...
finishing third. Savickas set a new world record in the Log Lift with a lift of . Shaw regained his title in
2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
, ahead of Savickas (2nd) and Björnsson (3rd). The
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
contest was one of the closest battles in WSM history, with these three men separated by just two points going into the Atlas Stones. Savickas clinched the title by just half a point ahead of Björnsson, and just 3 ahead of Shaw, becoming the fourth man to win four titles. This victory made Savickas the oldest athlete to ever win the title at the age of 38 years and 8 months. Shaw defeated Savickas once again in
2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
, with the title coming down to the two of them in the final event for the 4th time. Björnsson finished on the podium yet again, with Britain's
Eddie Hall Edward Stephen Hall (born 15 January 1988) is an English media personality, retired strongman, and current mixed martial artist. He is best known for his then world-record setting deadlift. He is also known for winning 2017 World's Strongest ...
coming in 4th. Savickas didn't compete in
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
, as Shaw successfully defended his title and joined Savickas on four titles. Björnsson made a fifth podium finish as the runner up, as Hall continued his steady rise to finish 3rd, despite placing last in the first event. In the
2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
contest, two four-time winners
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
and
Žydrūnas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas (; born July 15, 1975) is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout his career, he competed in and won 84 international competitions, including four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strong ...
competed head-to-head for the first time since the 2015 contest, but
Eddie Hall Edward Stephen Hall (born 15 January 1988) is an English media personality, retired strongman, and current mixed martial artist. He is best known for his then world-record setting deadlift. He is also known for winning 2017 World's Strongest ...
won his first title over runner-up Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson by 1 point and was the first person to win for the UK since Welshman Gary Taylor in 1993.
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (; transliterated as Hafthor in English; born 26 November 1988) is an Icelandic professional strongman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes of all time. He is the first and only person t ...
won the
2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
after three 2nd place and three 3rd place finishes and became the first Icelander since
Magnús Ver Magnússon Magnús Ver Magnússon (born 23 April 1963) is an Icelandic former powerlifter and strongman competitor. He is a four-time World's Strongest Man, having won in 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest strongmen o ...
in 1996 to win the title.
Mateusz Kieliszkowski Mateusz Kieliszkowski (born 12 August 1993) is a Polish strongman competitor, notable for winning the 2019 World's Ultimate Strongman competition. He is also a two-time World's Strongest Man runner-up, three-time Arnold Strongman Classic runne ...
of Poland finished second and four-time winner
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
of the United States third.
Žydrūnas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas (; born July 15, 1975) is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout his career, he competed in and won 84 international competitions, including four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strong ...
, also a four-time winner, finished tenth after withdrawing in event four due to an injury. The
2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
contest was held in
Bradenton, Florida Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698, up from 49,546 at the 2010 census. It is a pri ...
. The contest was won by
Martins Licis Martins Licis (, ; born September 28, 1990) is an American professional strongman, notable for winning the 2019 World's Strongest Man, the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic, and the 2021 Rogue Invitational strongman championships. He's the fourth s ...
of the United States who defeated defending champion
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (; transliterated as Hafthor in English; born 26 November 1988) is an Icelandic professional strongman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes of all time. He is the first and only person t ...
of Iceland. Björnsson suffered an injury,
plantar fasciitis Plantar fasciitis or plantar heel pain is a disorder of the plantar fascia, which is the connective tissue that supports the Arches of the foot, arch of the foot. It results in pain in the heel and Sole (foot), bottom of the foot that is usuall ...
, in the qualifying heats but was able to complete the competition and finish 3rd on the podium, with
Mateusz Kieliszkowski Mateusz Kieliszkowski (born 12 August 1993) is a Polish strongman competitor, notable for winning the 2019 World's Ultimate Strongman competition. He is also a two-time World's Strongest Man runner-up, three-time Arnold Strongman Classic runne ...
finishing as the runner up for the second consecutive year. This year also saw brothers
Tom Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name. Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tom'' (1973 film), or ''The Bad Bunch'', a blaxploitation film * ''Tom'' (2002 film) ...
and
Luke Luke may refer to: People and fictional characters * Luke (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Luke (surname), including a list of people with the name * Luke the Evangelist, author of the Gospel of Luk ...
Stoltman both qualify for the final, becoming the first brothers to both reach the final in history. A new format which included only 25 instead of 30 competitors was used and the entire competition only ran for 4 days instead of the usual 5+. The final was reduced to 5 events and took only one day. The new format was designed to streamline the editing for a quicker television turnaround.


2020s

Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, the 2020 contest, initially planned to be held in May at Bradenton, was postponed to November instead. In place from May through July was a special series called ''"World's Strongest Man: Home Edition"'' on
Snapchat Snapchat is an American multimedia social media and instant messaging app and service developed by Snap Inc., originally Snapchat Inc. One of the principal features of the app are that pictures and messages, known as "snaps", are usually availa ...
Discover, where participating strongman athletes filmed themselves at home recreating strongman events in creative ways, and fans could vote for their favourites. The series was hosted by
Eddie Hall Edward Stephen Hall (born 15 January 1988) is an English media personality, retired strongman, and current mixed martial artist. He is best known for his then world-record setting deadlift. He is also known for winning 2017 World's Strongest ...
. Rongo Keene was declared the winner, earning him a $10,000 prize. The
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
contest was to be held on
Anna Maria Island Anna Maria Island is a barrier island on the coast of Manatee County, Florida, in the United States. It is bounded on the west by the Gulf of Mexico, on the south by Longboat Pass (which separates it from Longboat Key, Florida, Longboat Key), ...
from 11 to 15 November, with no physical spectators allowed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The competition also went back to the previous rules of 30 competitors in the groups and a six event final. Because of bad weather conditions brought about by
Hurricane Eta Hurricane Eta was a deadly and erratic tropical cyclone that devastated parts of Central America in early November 2020. The record-tying twenty-eighth named storm, thirteenth hurricane, and sixth major hurricane of the extremely active 2020 A ...
, the first two days were instead pushed back a day, removing the rest day planned on 13 November. For the first time in WSM history, none of the podium finishers from the previous year (Mariusz Pudzianowski was originally a podium finisher in 2004 before failing a drugs test) competed in the contest. (Both Licis and Kieliszkowski were injured, whereas Björnsson had retired to focus on his boxing match with Eddie Hall). The contest was won by
Oleksii Novikov Oleksii Novikov (, born 11 February 1996) is a Ukrainian professional strongman. He won the 2020 World's Strongest Man competition, becoming the second Ukrainian to win the title since Vasyl Virastyuk in 2004, and at 24 years, 278 days, he is ...
, who set a new partial deadlift record of 537.5 kg (1,185 lbs) during the finals.
Tom Stoltman Tom Ryan Stoltman (born 30 May 1994) is a British professional strongman competitor, from Invergordon, Scotland. He is a three time winner of the World's Strongest Man in 2021, 2022, and 2024. He also won the national title of Britain's Strongest ...
came in 2nd place winning three of six events, while Jean-François Caron came in 3rd. The
2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
edition of the contest took place in
Sacramento Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in Northern California's Sacramento Valley, Sacramento's 2020 p ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
from 15 to 20 June. Defending champion Novikov failed to advance from his qualifying heat, after finishing 4th in a tightly fought group which saw just one point separating 1st and 4th position.
Tom Stoltman Tom Ryan Stoltman (born 30 May 1994) is a British professional strongman competitor, from Invergordon, Scotland. He is a three time winner of the World's Strongest Man in 2021, 2022, and 2024. He also won the national title of Britain's Strongest ...
improved on his second-place finish the year before to claim his first title after defeating four-time champion
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
head-to-head in the Atlas Stones, and became the first Scotsman to win the title. Shaw finished second, his best placing since his 4th title in 2016, and his first podium finish since 2018, while Canada's Maxime Boudreault placed third in his first WSM final. The
2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
contest held in
Sacramento Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in Northern California's Sacramento Valley, Sacramento's 2020 p ...
again was shaping up to be one of the best contests yet, with 2019 champion
Martins Licis Martins Licis (, ; born September 28, 1990) is an American professional strongman, notable for winning the 2019 World's Strongest Man, the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic, and the 2021 Rogue Invitational strongman championships. He's the fourth s ...
returning, and four former champions in the competition.
Mateusz Kieliszkowski Mateusz Kieliszkowski (born 12 August 1993) is a Polish strongman competitor, notable for winning the 2019 World's Ultimate Strongman competition. He is also a two-time World's Strongest Man runner-up, three-time Arnold Strongman Classic runne ...
was once again forced to withdraw due to injury. Tom Stoltman successfully defended his title, winning by 10.5 points over Licis (in 2nd) and
Oleksii Novikov Oleksii Novikov (, born 11 February 1996) is a Ukrainian professional strongman. He won the 2020 World's Strongest Man competition, becoming the second Ukrainian to win the title since Vasyl Virastyuk in 2004, and at 24 years, 278 days, he is ...
, who placed 3rd despite winning three of the six events in the final. The
2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...
edition of the contest was held at
Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the East Coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as the " Grand Strand” in the northeastern part of the state. It ...
,
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
for the first time. Mitchell Hooper continued his rapid rise after his debut the previous year and secured 1st Place with four events wins out of six in the final. 2 time Champion
Tom Stoltman Tom Ryan Stoltman (born 30 May 1994) is a British professional strongman competitor, from Invergordon, Scotland. He is a three time winner of the World's Strongest Man in 2021, 2022, and 2024. He also won the national title of Britain's Strongest ...
finished 2nd and 2020 Champion Oleksii Novikov came 3rd.
Tom Stoltman Tom Ryan Stoltman (born 30 May 1994) is a British professional strongman competitor, from Invergordon, Scotland. He is a three time winner of the World's Strongest Man in 2021, 2022, and 2024. He also won the national title of Britain's Strongest ...
reclaimed the title of World's Strongest Man with three event wins in the final at the
2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...
contest, which was held once again at
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the East Coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as the "Grand Strand” in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...
. He also became one of 7 men to hold the title at least 3 times. Previous champion Mitchell Hooper finished 2nd and Evan Singleton came 3rd. Rayno Nel won the
2025 So far, the year has seen the continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudanese civil war, and the Gaza war. Internal crises in Bangladesh post-resignation v ...
contest on debut in Sacramento by half a point. 3 time champion
Tom Stoltman Tom Ryan Stoltman (born 30 May 1994) is a British professional strongman competitor, from Invergordon, Scotland. He is a three time winner of the World's Strongest Man in 2021, 2022, and 2024. He also won the national title of Britain's Strongest ...
placed second and 2023 champion Mitchell Hooper third.


Competition format and commonly contested events

Initially, eight men representing various sports and strength disciplines were invited to compete against each other in unique events designed to test each individual to the fullest extent. The earliest events were relatively crude, but new ideas were introduced over the years. Some events had a basis in both powerlifting and Highland Games heavy events, and others were created based on mythological feats of strength. There are a number of events that make up each competition. * Loading Medley – Several heavy objects, each weighing , are carried/ dragged and loaded onto a truck bed or a similar platform over a course of about . * Atlas Stones – Five heavy round stones increasing in weight in the range of are lifted and set on platforms. When the stones were first introduced to the competition, it was an individual event and the platforms were all of equal height. The modern Atlas Stones event takes place on a long course and the competitors participate two at a time. There are three current variations to the Atlas Stones event. In one, the stones are placed directly in front of the platforms and the competitors must simply lift and place them, generally the lightest stone being placed on the highest platform. In another, the stones are placed in a diagonal line, with the first stone being in front of the first platform, and each subsequent stone is set farther back from the course, with the heaviest stone being farthest away (or vice versa). The third variation sees the five platforms in a straight vertical line with the stones in front of each, and the competitors must place the stones and then move a short distance to the next one. In recent competitions, this is typically the final event. In the 2015 competition, the heaviest stone was 209 kilos (461 lbs). *
Vehicle pull Vehicle pull is a Strongman event featured in World’s Strongest Man and other similar competitions which requires competitors to pull extremely heavy trucks, buses, tanks, trains or aeroplanes while being attached to a harness that is connected ...
– Vehicles such as transport trucks, trams, boxcars, buses, or planes are pulled across a course as fast as possible. One variation sees the competitors pull the object with a rope toward them. Another has them attached to a rope which is attached to a vehicle, while they use another rope to pull themselves down the course. A third involves no ropes, with the competitors pulling the vehicle while connected to a harness. The 2007 competition featured pulling a fire truck (possibly a nod to 2006 champion Phil Pfister, a professional firefighter) and the 2008 qualifying rounds featured a coal truck (a reference to the
coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal i ...
mining industry in
West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
, where the competition was held). * Overhead Press – The heaviest possible load is pressed overhead, or a lighter weight is used for repetitions. * Fingal's Fingers – A series of hinged poles ("fingers") are lifted starting from a horizontal resting position and flipped over to the other side. The poles get progressively heavier and longer. The event is scored by time and by how many of the poles a competitor was able to flip over. The event takes its name from
Fingal Fingal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is one of three successor counties to County Dublin, which ...
, a mythological Gaelic hunter-warrior. * Power Stairs – A series of three Duck Walk implements ranging from are lifted, step by step, to the top of a flight of stairs. * Squat – Squatting large weights, such as of bricks, a car, or people on a platform. Recently, an apparatus has been used that drops weighted kegs into a cage, one at a time after each successful lift (the event, in this case, is scored by weight instead of repetitions). The athlete will continue until completion, failure or time expires. * Dead Lift – Lifting weights or vehicles up to about straight off the ground until knees lock in a standing position. Lift is for either maximum weight, maximum repetitions with a fixed weight, or for time whilst holding a single repetition. In recent years, a similar keg-loaded apparatus to that described above for the squat has been used. *
Keg Toss Keg-tossing (or keg toss) is a traditional strength sport that involves the heaving of a standard half-barrel beer keg or a similar implement. The basic technique involves swinging the keg in a pendulum like manner and releasing when it is at its a ...
– Competitors must throw kegs, of increasing weight, over a high bar. A variation using
kettlebell In weight training, a kettlebell is a cast-iron or Steel casting, cast-steel ball with a handle attached to the top, resembling a cannonball with a handle. It is used to perform a range of Exercise, exercises; primarily Ballistic training, ball ...
s was added to the 2015 competition, while in 2017, gold bricks were used. *
Weight over bar Weight over bar (or Highland games 'one arm' weight over bar) () is a traditional strength sport derived from ancient Scottish Highland games that involves the heaving of a (half hundredweight) weight, over a bar using one hand. Unlike its oth ...
– A weight is thrown overhead with the goal being to clear a barrier above the competitor. The goal is to throw the weight the highest. * Bar bending – Competitors have to grip long iron rods from their edges, use their arm and grip strength, and bend until the two ends come closer to each other. * Car Carry – Competitors stand inside a stripped-down automobile, which is missing some of its roof and all of its bottom and interior, and carry it across a course. Competitors are scored by time, then distance once the time-limit expires. * Hercules Hold – The athlete stands between two hinged pillars, gripping handles that prevent the pillars from falling to the side. The pillars are held for the longest possible time. * Carry and Drag – An anchor and a chain are carried to the end of a set distance, where they must be attached to each other and then dragged back the same distance. * Farmer's Walk – Competitors carry heavy objects (usually
anvil An anvil is a metalworking tool consisting of a large block of metal (usually Forging, forged or Steel casting, cast steel), with a flattened top surface, upon which another object is struck (or "worked"). Anvils are massive because the hi ...
s) weighing from 275 to 375 lbs (125 to 170 kg) in each hand for a set distance, and compete for the fastest time. A variation involves the use of a heavy frame with parallel handles or heavy objects attached to handles, and another involves much heavier weights (referred to as the Giant Farmer's Walk). This event is usually done on the same course as the Carry and Drag and is conducted as a race, but one competition in
Sanya, China Sanya; also spelled Samah is the southernmost city on Hainan Island, and one of the four prefecture-level cities of Hainan Province in South China. According to the 2020 census, the total population of Sanya was 1,031,396 inhabitants, livin ...
saw the competitors compete individually carrying the weights up a small set of stairs. The
2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
competition saw the competitors race two at a time along a course requiring several turns. * Super Yoke – Apparatus composed of a crossbar and two uprights. The uprights each have a heavy weight attached to them, such as a
refrigerator A refrigerator, commonly shortened to fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermal insulation, thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical) that transfers heat from its inside to ...
or diesel engine, and the competitors must carry the yoke on their shoulders for a short distance. * Husafell Stone – A flat, somewhat triangular
lifting stone Lifting stones are heavy natural stones which people are challenged to lift, proving their strength. They are common throughout Northern Europe, particularly Iceland (where they are referred to as ''steintökin''), Scotland, Ireland, Basque Countr ...
weighing around 410 lb (186 kg) is carried high on the chest for a set distance or for overall distance within a time limit. The stone is named for a famous one in
Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
, which actually was brought out for use when the competition was held in Iceland. During some years which the competition took place in Africa, this event was known as the Africa Stone and the stone was in the shape of the continent as it appears on a map. The 2017 competition called this event the Elephant Carry, and the stone was shaped like the head and face of an African elephant. * Duck Walk – An object with a handle is carried, suspended between the legs, over a set course. * Log Throw /
Caber toss The caber toss () is a traditional Scottish athletic event in which competitors toss a large tapered pole called a "caber" (), normally practised at the Scottish Highland Games. The term "caber" derives from the Gaelic word ''cabar'', whi ...
– A five-meter-long ( foot) log is thrown for distance or for height over a bar. When thrown for distance, the event is conducted similarly to the normal caber toss but with distance replacing technique. The length of the throw is determined by measuring the distance between where the competitor's toes were when he tossed and the tip of the log, based on where it first landed. *
Tug of War Tug of war (also known as tug o' war, tug war, rope war, rope pulling, or tugging war) is a sport in which two teams compete by pulling on opposite ends of a rope, with the goal of bringing the rope a certain distance in one direction against ...
– One on one tug of war in a single-elimination tournament. In the first few competitions, this determined the champion and served as the final event. * Pole Pushing – One on one pole pushing in a Sumo-style ring in a single-elimination tournament. The pole has handles at either end. * Crucifix – Weights are held straight out at each side for as long a time as possible. A common variation entails weights being held out in front, using either one or both hands. * Giant Dumbbell Press – Single-handed dumbbells are hoisted from the ground onto the competitor's shoulder, from where, with one hand, he must raise it vertically over his head and lockout his arm. With four weights between , scoring is based on time and number of successful lifts. * Basque Circle/Stone Circle/Conan's Wheel – A competitor takes hold of the handle of a metal basket by placing the handle on his forearms. Inside the basket, usually, is at least of heavy stones (the
2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
WSM replaced the stones with
pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a Tropical vegetation, tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been culti ...
s and at least one earlier competition used a car). Holding the basket in the crook of his elbow, the competitor carries the basket in a clockwise manner over a platform with a circumference. The event is contested for distance. *Norse Hammers – Added to the competition for the first time in 2015, the Norse Hammers is similar to the Fingal's Fingers event. Three hammers, shaped like those of Norse god
Thor Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...
, must be flipped over. Unlike the Fingal Fingers, the competitors must lift the hammer from the side before pushing it up. There are three hammers, weighing 350, 365, and 380 pounds, respectively. In order to complete the event, all three hammers must be flipped within the time limit. *Circus Barbell – Similar to the Overhead Press, this event gets its name from the apparatus used which resembles the classically shaped barbell used by circus strongmen. The barbell, which weighs , consists of two heavy spheres with a thick, flexible bar that makes it difficult for the competitors to lift. The event is conducted for reps within a time limit and the movement to complete the lift resembles a
clean and press The clean and press is a two-part weight training exercise whereby a loaded barbell is lifted from the floor to the shoulders (the clean) and pushed overhead (the press). The lift was a component of the sport of Olympic weightlifting from 1928 to ...
lift. Beginning in 2017, the qualifying format was changed. After five events, the leader clinches a spot in the final while the last place competitor is eliminated from the competition. To determine the second finalist of the group, a new event called Last Man Standing was added. An Atlas Stone is placed at the center of an octagon and, one at a time, the competitors must lift the stone and drop it over a 55-inch metal bar. They each have twenty seconds to do this, and once one cannot complete the drop, he is eliminated and the next highest scoring competitor entering the event takes his turn. The competition continues in stepladder fashion, beginning with the fourth and fifth place competitors, until only one remains; that competitor is declared the winner of the event and secures the second place in the final for the qualifying group.https://shawstrength.com/abc/worlds-strongest-man-2017/ The 2018 competition used the Atlas Stones event to determine the second finalist. The three lowest scorers were eliminated from the competition, and the second and third place finishers squared off with the winner advancing to the final. The 2019 competition saw the return of Last Man Standing, but instead of featuring the remaining four competitors, only the second and third place competitors square off to determine the second finalist. The 2025 competition will see a format change with the finalists performance in the group stage counting towards the final. Each finalist can start between 1-10 points. The last man standing event has also been abandoned.


Championship breakdown


Podiums


Most championships


Most podium finishes


Championships by country


Other

Statistics are correct up to and including the end of the 2024 WSM competition. * Most WSM Titles: 5 –
Mariusz Pudzianowski Mariusz Zbigniew Pudzianowski (; born 7 February 1977), also known as "Pudzian" and "Dominator", is a Polish people, Polish mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and former Strongman (strength athlete), strongman competitor. With Strongman#In ...
(2002–2003, 2005, 2007–2008) * Most WSM runner-up finishes: 6 –
Žydrūnas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas (; born July 15, 1975) is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout his career, he competed in and won 84 international competitions, including four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strong ...
(2002–2004, 2011, 2013, 2015) * Most WSM 3rd place finishes: 4 –
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
(2009, 2014, 2017, 2018) and
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (; transliterated as Hafthor in English; born 26 November 1988) is an Icelandic professional strongman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes of all time. He is the first and only person t ...
(2012, 2013, 2015, 2019) * Most WSM podium finishes: 10 –
Žydrūnas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas (; born July 15, 1975) is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout his career, he competed in and won 84 international competitions, including four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strong ...
(2002–2004, 2009–2015) and
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
(2009–2011, 2013–2018, 2021) * Most WSM top 5 placings: 13 –
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
(2009–2018, 2020–2022) * Most WSM finals: 15 –
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
(2009–2023) * Most times qualified for WSM: 18 –
Mark Felix Mark Felix (born 17 April 1966) is a Grenadian-English retired strongman competitor. He has competed at a record 18 World's Strongest Man contests, reaching the finals three times. He is the winner of the 2015 Ultimate Strongman Masters World C ...
(2004, 2006–2011, 2013–2023) * Most consecutive WSM Titles: 3 –
Bill Kazmaier William Kazmaier (born December 30, 1953) is an American former world champion powerlifter, world champion strongman and professional wrestler. During his illustrious career, he set over 40 powe ...
(1980–1982) and
Magnús Ver Magnússon Magnús Ver Magnússon (born 23 April 1963) is an Icelandic former powerlifter and strongman competitor. He is a four-time World's Strongest Man, having won in 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest strongmen o ...
(1994–1996) * Most consecutive WSM podium finishes: 8 –
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (; transliterated as Hafthor in English; born 26 November 1988) is an Icelandic professional strongman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes of all time. He is the first and only person t ...
(2012–2019) * Most consecutive WSM finals: 15 –
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
(2009–2023) * Most consecutive WSM appearances: 16 –
Brian Shaw Brian or Bryan Shaw may refer to: Sports * Brian Shaw (basketball) (born 1966), American basketball coach and former player * Bryan Shaw (baseball) (born 1987), American baseball player * Brian Shaw (ice hockey, born 1962), Canadian ice hockey pl ...
(2008–2023) * Longest Time Between First and Last Championships: 6 years –
Jón Páll Sigmarsson Jón Páll Sigmarsson (28 April 1960 – 16 January 1993) was an Icelandic strongman, powerlifter and bodybuilder who was the first man to win the World's S ...
(1984–1990) and
Mariusz Pudzianowski Mariusz Zbigniew Pudzianowski (; born 7 February 1977), also known as "Pudzian" and "Dominator", is a Polish people, Polish mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and former Strongman (strength athlete), strongman competitor. With Strongman#In ...
(2002–2008) * Longest Time Between First and Last Top 3 Finishes: 13 years –
Žydrūnas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas (; born July 15, 1975) is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout his career, he competed in and won 84 international competitions, including four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strong ...
(2002–2015) * Longest Time Between First and Last Qualifications For Final: 16 years –
Žydrūnas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas (; born July 15, 1975) is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout his career, he competed in and won 84 international competitions, including four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strong ...
(2002–2018) * Longest Time Between First and Last Qualifications: 20 years –
Žydrūnas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas (; born July 15, 1975) is a Lithuanian former professional strongman and powerlifter. Throughout his career, he competed in and won 84 international competitions, including four World's Strongest Man titles, two IFSA Strong ...
(1998–2018) * Longest Gap Between Championships: 3 years –
Magnús Ver Magnússon Magnús Ver Magnússon (born 23 April 1963) is an Icelandic former powerlifter and strongman competitor. He is a four-time World's Strongest Man, having won in 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest strongmen o ...
(1991–1994) * Longest Gap Between Top 3 Finishes: 6 years –
Bill Kazmaier William Kazmaier (born December 30, 1953) is an American former world champion powerlifter, world champion strongman and professional wrestler. During his illustrious career, he set over 40 powe ...
(1982–1988) * Longest Gap Between Appearances: 12 years –
Rauno Heinla Rauno Heinla (born 7 June 1982) is an Estonian professional strongman competitor. He is a specialist in the deadlift events and is regarded as one of the best deadlifters in the world. Strongman career Born in Tartu, Estonia, Rauno started his S ...
(2011–2023)


Jimmy Pollock Award


See also

*
List of strongman competitions A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...
* List of strongmen * World's Strongest Woman


References


External links

* {{Main world championships Strongmen competitions CBS Sports Spectacular