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This year, the Masters Olympia will return after an 11-year absence, taking place in Cluj-Napoca, Romania on Aug. 26-27, 2023. It will feature 10 competitive divisions and exclusively showcase bodybuilding athletes who are at least 40 years of age. With the early-April application process finished, it is now clear who will be traveling to Eastern Europe this coming summer.

On Apr. 25, 2023, an Olympia TV YouTube video featuring Jay Cutler and other bodybuilding figures like Terrick El Guindy, Steve Weinberger, and Alina Popa revealed the complete roster for the 2023 Masters Olympia. The overall prize purse for the participating competitors will be $229,000.

The headline division of the contest might be the Men’s Open class. Recent months have seen speculation about athletes such as Cutler, Johnnie Jackson, and Dexter Jackson (the last Masters Olympia champion in 2012) potentially joining the competition. As confirmed by this roster reveal, the seasoned veterans, who are in the midst of their respective retirements, will not feature at the 2023 Masters Olympia.

However, an established veteran and active titan in the main Olympia field, Kamal Elgargni, is now confirmed to be part of the Masters Olympia roster. Elgargni is most notably coming off a third-place result in the 212 division at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. He will compete in the Men’s Open at the return of the Masters Olympia. Elgargni may maintain this competitive set-up to prepare for the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia. The athlete previously clarified this would be his plan to stay consistent with his training and nutrition.

2023 Masters Olympia Rosters | Overview

Here’s a complete rundown of every division’s roster at the 2023 Masters Olympia.

Men’s Open

• Kamal Elgargni
• Logan Robson
• Marek Olejniczak
• Maxx Charles
• Michael Ely
• Michael Lynn
• Philip Clahar
• Robert Burneika
• Fred Smalls
• Joseph Piersante
• Joshua Lenartowicz
• Ken Jackson
• Ron Stevens
• Rusty Jeffers
• Sergio Lima
• Slavoj Bednar
• Tony Lagrene
• Vincent Galanti
• Vladimir Agrinskiy

212

• Anwar Darwish Ali
• Derik Farnsworth
• Bola Ojex
• Ahmed Fawzi
• Fernando Noronha De Almeida
• David Henry
• Jeff Williamson
• Hidetada Yamagishi
• Jicheng Qian
• Jonni Shreve
• Jim Everton
• Mason Butt
• Milton A. Martinez
• Ryan Walters
• Zohir Mihoubi
• Steve Thayer
• Ricardo Plata Duran
• Wayne Williams

Men’s Physique

• Adon Marcus
• Andrea Mosti
• Anton Antipov
• Byron Ross
• Arya Saffaie
• Michael Ferguson
• Myron Griffin
• Sharif Reid
• Terrence Teo
• Dajuan Freeman
• David Odom
• Everett Davis
• Everton Ribiero
• George Brown
• Harlan Taylor
• Joshua Petrecky
• Kenyon Leno
• Kevin Reeder
• Marcell Shippen
• Youcef Djoudi

Classic Physique

• Dawid Geler
• Dion Harris
• Ali Emre
• Esteban Smith 
• Darrem Charles 
• Alex Cambronero 
• Eric Perkins
• Greg Rando 
• Michel Perez
• Javier Martinez 
• Luis Garcia Martinez
• Kelvin Hinde
• Olushomo Oni 
• Richy Chan 
• Ross Caesar
• Vladimir Markov
• Shanti Mitchell 
• Peter Sciallo
• Thomas Connelly 

Women’s Bodybuilding

• Cheryl Mears 
• Abi Jimenez 
• Donna Salib 
• Evangelina Guzman
• Barbara Moojen 
• Jacqueline Fuchs 
• Marcela Venegas
• Dana Shemesh 
• Leah Dennie 
• Michelle Brent 
• Maria Segura
• Lori Conley 
• Silvia Matta 
• Vera Mikulcova 
• Reshanna Boswell 
• Virginia Sanchez
• Tananarive Huie

Women’s Physique

• Caroline Alves Dos Santos 
• Heather Grace
• Ivie Rhein
• Birgit Andersch 
• Jennifer Taylor 
• Alida Opre
• Candice Carr 
• Nathalee Thompson 
• Manuella Monteiro 
• Joanna Romano
• Larissa Araujo De Lima
• Lenore Gregson
• Stephanie Frederickson 
• Maria Liberman 
• Oksana Piari 
• Robin Mays 
• Uta Koehler-Spitzbart
• Susan Graham 
• Tanya Chartrand
• Suzanne Davis 

Figure

• Corrie Morales
• Dee Jackson 
• Dorota Ogonowska
• Georgina Lona 
• Jennifer Reece
• Alissa Carpio 
• Her Eun 
• Gina Palma
• Jessica Baltazar
• Jessica Reyes Padilla 
• Kim Clark 
• Martina Yabekova 
• Roberta Visintainer
• Larissa Penaloza
• Shelace Shoemaker
• Stella Miliani
• Veronica Gallego
• Zulfiya Bityeva
• Thais Werner
• Yelena Larina

Fitness

• Babette Mulford 
• Debbie Fowler
• Maria Laura Cerbelli 
• Marta Aguiar
• Minna Paljulahti
• Sally Kendall-Williams
• Stacy Simons
• Stephanie Jones 
• Tamara Vahn 

Bikini

• Aneta Szoltysek 
• Christy Brown 
• Geri Lara-Berger
• Ayleen Santander
• Gigi Amurao
• Angela Ruscilli
• Janine Herrera 
• Chelan Nour 
• Nucia Freitas Samo
• Elisangela Angell 
• Abbi Gaetano 
• Larissa Godoi
• Jessica Wilson 
• Michelle Hurst
• Susan Price
• Kerryne Henich 
• Merica Abbado 
• Nichole Guggia
• Patricia Lloyd
• Ruth Montes
• Nicole Jennifer Johnson

Wellness

• Carly Thornton
• Dani Treiger
• Anzhelika Ispodnikova
• Clarissa Sanchez
• Casey DeLong
• Joann Norwood
• Cinzia Massaro Clapp
• Elizabeth Williams
• Nerilde Garcia
• Flora Conte
• Houda Hmini
• Synara Santana
• Simara Walter
• Alessandra Pinheiro
• Liliana Velez Marin
• Oana Marinescu
• Nicollette Burns
• Tania Viegas

The return of the Masters Olympia means some of the more experienced bodybuilders in the sport get the chance to shine on a stage again. Who actually poses well and thrives won’t be determined until late August in Romania.

Featured Image: @ifbb_pro_kamal_elgargni on Instagram

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On Apr. 23, 2023, Hampton Morris shared an Instagram video of himself attempting a 175-kilogram (385.8-pound) clean & jerk during a rigorous training session. The strength feat is 14 kilograms (30.9 pounds) more than Morris’s Junior World Record in the 61-kilogram weight class. He succeeded in the clean and just missed the jerk, failing to secure an overhead lockout. According to Morris’s post, he had a body weight of 64.8 kilograms (142.8 pounds) at the time of the lift but plans to cut down to his usual 61-kilogram (134.5-pound) status by the time he officially competes again.

The weightlifter notched his record mark of 162 kilograms (357.1 pounds) during a Senior gold-medal winning performance at the 2022 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Pan-American Championships in Bogotá, Colombia. That lift remains Morris’ all-time competition best.

Morris’s most recent training clean & jerk is connected to his preparation for the 2023 IWF Grand Prix I. The contest takes place on Jun. 8-13, 2023, in Havana, Cuba, and is a qualifying event for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. A sterling performance there would be a sizable step forward for Morris to work toward earning his first-ever berth on Team USA’s Olympic weightlifting roster.

At the time of this article’s publication, Morris has three Senior gold medals in the 61-kilogram division to his name. He scored all of them at the last three iterations of the IWF Pan-American Championships (2021-2023). Morris is also in possession of a 61-kilogram gold medal from the 2021 IWF Junior World Championships and a 61-kilogram gold medal from the 2021 IWF Youth World Championships.

Even considering his age, the weightlifter is one of Team USA’s more decorated active competitors, boasting seven victories in international contests dating back to the IWF Pan-American Youth Championships in 2019. In that same time frame, the only instance Morris has ever fallen short of the top of the podium was a silver medal from the 2021 IWF Junior Pan-American Games in Cali and Valle, Colombia.

Here’s an overview of all seven of Morris’s international profile wins:

Hampton Morris (61KG) | International Victories 2019-2023

• 2019 Pan-American Youth Championships — First place
• 2020 Pan-American Junior Championships — First place
• 2021 Youth World Championships — First place
• 2021 Pan-American Championships — First place
• 2022 Junior World Championships — First place
• 2022 Pan-American Championships — First place 
• 2023 Pan-American Championships — First place

What’s clear from this ledger is that Morris, still just 19, is already one of the biggest names in American weightlifting and otherwise.

A big few weeks await Morris as he tries to take the next step in his already prolific weightlifting career. Morris has proven himself on an international stage and evidently has the prerequisite strength and athleticism to thrive amongst the globe’s elite. The next step is doing it at the Olympic Games. That, too, might be an outright inevitability.

Featured image: @hamptonmorris on Instagram

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Daniel Bell was off to a raucous start in 2023. He had matched Hafthor Björnsson‘s deadlift of 395 kilograms (870.8 pounds) at the 2023 Arnold Sports Festival (ASF). Eventually, he had planned to extend his all-time raw with wraps World Record total of 1,182 kilograms (2,606.9 pounds) in the +140-kilogram weight class. For the time being, the athlete will seemingly have to put these plans on hold.

On Apr. 20, 2023, Bell revealed that he recently suffered a left leg injury while finishing a 425-kilogram (937-pound) back squat raw with wraps during the 2023 USA-UA Pioneer on the Beach. The powerlifter did not disclose the nature or severity of his ailment from the early April competition and mainly noted it felt like his “left glute was getting torn in half.” While the athlete persevered through his squat to a first-place performance in the +140-kilogram weight class, it seems likely that this injury will need some measure of attention.

In Bell’s Instagram post discussing his injury, he didn’t mince words. While he hasn’t (at the time of this article’s publication) provided more precise clarification on what exactly happened, Bell’s description makes this situation appear severe for one of the globe’s strongest powerlifters. The athlete has not posted an update to his social media platforms since revealing his health status.

Parts of the immediate aftermath didn’t sound pleasant, which revealed other underlying issues.

“Ten years in it’s bound to happen,” Bell wrote of his injury. “Woke up on Monday [April 17] unable to feel or move my toes. [It was] absolutely wild a week after. Moved forward with morphine and two different hospitals finding one of the largest MRI machines in Florida to find out my spine and six bulging discs have seen better days.”

According to Bell, his main goal is to avoid surgery. At the time of this writing, it is unclear what kind of surgery he would need or how long it would keep him out of training and sanctioned powerlifting competitions.

Nonetheless, it’s undoubtedly a setback for an athlete of his mold, and something he and his performance trainer Jacob Ross would prefer to steer clear of.

“Already in the process of working things out with [Jacob Ross] and avoiding surgery at all costs.”

Bell hasn’t lost in a powerlifting competition since 2019, according to Open Powerlifting.

To maintain his exemplary resume of late, and eventually break his own total World Record, Bell will likely need to take his time to fully recover from his injuries. It might be a while before anyone hears from the athlete again in an official capacity. Such a wait could be worth it for this strength star.

Featured image: @dbell_74 on Instagram

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Tom Stoltman entered the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) with historic aspirations. Should the former two-time reigning champion (2021-2022) have beaten his elite strongman peers in Myrtle Beach, SC, he would have become only the third competitor to win three consecutive WSM titles. Instead, he fell short with a runner-up finish to eventual victor Mitchell Hooper. At the very least, the Scottish athlete seems to accept his shortcoming.

On Apr. 24, 2023, a day after the conclusion of the latest climactic WSM, Stoltman posted a reflection on his performance to his Instagram. While he didn’t make history, Stoltman already appears to be looking ahead to another title shot and more coming strongman greatness.

To date, only the United States’ Bill Kazmaier (1980-1982) and Iceland’s Magnús Ver Magnússon (1994-1996) have ever won three straight WSM titles. With a victory, Stoltman would’ve been the third and joined their very exclusive company in the contest’s illustrious 46-year history.

Alas, such an achievement wasn’t meant to be for one of modern’s strongman’s biggest names. It would’ve been understandable if Stoltman wanted to lament his misfortunes and missed opportunities. An athlete of his prowess, standing on the precipice of almost unprecedented greatness, taking the time to highlight went wrong likely wouldn’t have been stunning.

However, like a great competitor with a championship mentality, Stoltman instead showed graciousness in what he left in his latest WSM appearance. A British Record Max Dumbbell Press of 132.5 kilograms (292 pounds) likely helps his standing.

That’s regardless of past performances, like a sixth-place result at the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC).

“I gave everything I had this year!” Stoltman wrote. “Hitting the big dumbbell was a personal goal for myself and I was consistent throughout. I’m very proud … I got told I wouldn’t be getting near the podium at [the 2023 WSM] due to my Arnold [Strongman Classic] performance. I worked hard and gave my all!”

Stoltman’s WSM title run officially ended with four podium appearances in the last four years. In both instances where Stoltman didn’t win, he was the runner-up to the champion — Hooper in 2023 and Oleksii Novikov in 2020. Stoltman finished ahead of the third-place Novikov at the 2023 WSM.

As for paying tribute to those who paved the way, Stoltman seemed remiss if he didn’t mention a more established strongman legend. After qualifying for his 15th WSM Finals, Brian Shaw will no longer be a fixture at the flagship strongman competition as he nears his retirement.

Stoltman made sure to pay his appropriate respects to the strength icon.

“Thank you to Brian Shaw for everything you have done for this sport and for myself.”

Stoltman’s excellent past precedent suggests that his 2023 WSM runner-up placing won’t be the last anyone sees of this superstar strongman. If anything, moving forward, he’ll likely channel it as motivation to complete a successful climb to the top again.

Featured image: @tomstoltmanofficial on Instagram

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Renowned strongman commentator and 2016 Europe’s Strongest Man, Laurence “Big Loz” Shahlaei has worked as a coach for many high-level strength athletes, including the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM), Mitchell Hooper. Following Hooper’s 2023 WSM victory, Shahlaei and wife Liz Shahlaei shared their thoughts and opinions about the news his YouTube channel.

The Shahlaei’s started the video with a recap of the last day of competition, beginning with the Circus Dumbbell. They noted that 2020 WSM winner Oleksii Novikov was expected to do well based his long string of dominating the event in past competitions, while Hooper and defending champion Tom Stoltman may likely lose points on the leaderboard.

Liz Shahlaei expressed her thoughts about the refereeing during this event, highlighting some potentially questionable lockout calls, while Big Loz noted that the calls were at least consistent with all the athletes.

He was most shocked that 2020 World’s Strongest Man Oleksii Novikov didn’t win the event — Novikov would tie for second place, along with Tom and Luke Stoltman, and Pavlo Kordiyaka. All four competitors completed a lift with the 132.5-kilogram (291-pound) dumbbell. Hooper and Evan Singleton tied for the win in that event, successfully lifting the 140.4-kilogram (309-pound) dumbbell.

Next up was the Truck Pull, and every man that was still in the competition finished in less than 40 seconds, which surprised Loz. Hooper won that event with a time of 30.24 seconds, which padded his overall lead over Stoltman going into the final event.

“I have to say, I’ve never seen the Truck Pull done so quickly at World’s Strongest Man.”

Indeed, the last time a vehicle pull was performed faster in a WSM Finals event was Manfred Hoberl’s blazing 29.64-second truck pull in the 1994 WSM contest.

Shahlaei also noted that he was glad there appeared to be no controversy over who won the event, as Hooper’s time exceeded the runner-up by more than two full seconds.

“The winner was a clear winner,” Big Loz said, while pointing out that Hooper’s previous performance in the event — 49.24 seconds in the 2022 WSM — wasn’t as competitive as his recent performance. 

“He’s worked extremely hard at this. This whole competition has just been phenomenal. I’ve been blown away.”

The couple then covered the Atlas Stones, in which Hooper placed second behind Stoltman. However, Hooper’s collection of points on the leaderboard was still good enough to clinch the title. Loz and Liz even showed Loz’s live reaction as the results were shared online. The coach summed up his client’s performance as a dominant one. 

“It’s been an emotional week. We’re so proud of Mitch Hooper. We’re proud of all the athletes. Obviously I’m coaching Mitch, and I’m invested in him.”

They concluded the video by recapping the top ten as a collective, and he saluted four-time World’s Strongest Man (2011, 2013, 2015-2016) Brian Shaw, who made his last appearance at the contest.

“It’s been a pleasure and a nightmare at times to compete against him in my career, but it’s been an honor, and I hope he goes on and does great things.”

Featured Image: @biglozwsm on Instagram

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57-year old strongman legend Mark Felix has competed in his final World’s Strongest Man contest. The Grenadian-born, British competitor announced in February 2023 that the most recent edition of the contest would be his last. He made his 18th and final appearance in the competition at the 2023 edition in Myrtle Beach, SC on the week of Apr. 19-23. 

Felix failed to make the finals, and the competition was won by 27-year-old Mitchell Hooper. In a strange twist of coincidence, Hooper had his ninth birthday during the 2004 WSM where Felix made his debut in the competition, while Felix had his 57th birthday just two days before his final WSM appearance. On Apr. 22, 2023, Felix shared his thoughts about his expansive WSM career in an Instagram post.

“So many things I could say about my 18th and final WSM show, the opportunities Strongman and [The World’s Strongest Man] has given me over the last 18 years. I have traveled the world. I have competed with the best of the best … from athletes, organizers, crew, sponsors, coach and trainers, friends, family, and supporters, I want to thank you all. It’s been awesome.”

Even though Felix will no longer participate in the World’s Strongest Man contest, he made it clear that he is far from done in the sport itself.

“Strongman Sport is in my blood, it’s a family like no other, and I am looking forward to continuing competing in the [Giants Live] and [Official Strongman Games] shows … To everyone who supports me, thank you for the messages I read them all it means a lot … see you all soon at a show”

Felix has competed in every WSM contest from 2004 to 2023 with the exceptions of the 2005 and 2012 contests. He has reached the Finals on three occasions, with a highest-ever finish in fourth place at the 2006 WSM, followed in 2007 with a sixth-place finish.

In 2015, Felix achieved what would be his last Top 10 finish, reaching eighth place. That same year, Brian Shaw captured his third WSM title. In another coincidence, Shaw has also announced that the 2023 WSM would be his final appearance in the contest.

Felix has competed shoulder-to-shoulder with every WSM champion during that time, from Vasyl Virastyuk (2004) to Hooper (2023).

Outside of the WSM competition, Felix won titles including the 2016 World Strongman Federation’s (WSF) World Cup and the 2015 Ultimate Strongman Masters World Championships.

He may be best known for his incredible grip strength, which propelled him to a World Record in the Hercules Hold, where Felix held the 160-kilogram (352-pound) pillars for 92.37 seconds at the 2020 Europe’s Strongest Man contest. He also won the Vice Grip Viking Challenge in 2011 and 2012, as well as the Rolling Thunder competition in 2008 and 2009.

Even though Felix made it clear he will compete in other shows, as of this writing, there is no word on exactly what Felix’s next contest will be.

Featured Post: @markfelixwsm on Instagram

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Less than 24 hours after winning the 2023 World’s Strongest Man title in Myrtle Beach, SC, Mitchell Hooper gave his fans insight on what Sunday, Apr. 23, 2023 looked like from his perspective. The new champion posted a YouTube video that documented the final day of the contest.

The video was succinctly titled “I WON: World’s Strongest Man 2023,” and it was published on his channel the morning of Apr. 24, 2023. The video opens with Hooper walking to the contest area, apparently excited about the upcoming day. Despite winning six of the eight previous contest events, he also acknowledged that there was no guarantee of victory against his elite peers.

“It’s going to be a battle between the four of us today … We’ll see how my dumbbell [event] goes. We’ll see how Tom [Stoltman’s] dumbbell [event] goes. We’ll see how Oleksii [Novikov’s] [Atlas] stone goes. Trey [Mitchell], in the mix with them all. We’ll see how it all shakes out. 25% chance for us all, maybe. Wish me luck.”

Hooper can then be seen warming up on the Circus dumbbells before the first event of the contest’s final day. He was greeted by 2019 World’s Strongest Man Martins Licis, as well.

Due to the copyrights of the video footage, Hooper is only seen briefly performing in the event before it cuts to him talking to his family afterward. He tied for first place with Evan Singleton as the only competitors to lift the 140.4-kilogram (309-pound) dumbbell.

The video then cuts to Hooper resting and talking to the camera after the Truck Pull, where he placed first by beating his nearest competitors by more than two seconds. Even though the title was now clearly in Hooper’s sights at this point in the competition due to his points on the leaderboard, he said that he was assuming nothing until the last event was over.

Trying to coax a reply from Hooper, the cameraperson asked, “If you were to predict how you’re going to do on the stones, where do you think you’re going to fare?” Hooper’s reply was a humble dismissal of the fact that, to that point, he had placed first in eight of the 10 previous events.

“Not going to do that. Not worried about it. Just gotta go have a clean, smooth run. Get through them. There’s a lot of really good stone lifters here so, anything could happen … We’ll see how it goes.”

The video then shows Hooper and previous champion Tom Stoltman making their entrances to the Atlas Stones area, where Hooper would clinch the title by finishing in second place in the event. The camera then shows his family reacting to the moment he won the title followed by his wife hugging him in celebration while Hooper held the trophy.

He is also shown taking photos, doing interviews, speaking with 2017 World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall, and signing autographs. He signed off the video giving thanks to everyone who followed the action throughout the week.

“It’s crazy. It’s going to take a long time for this to sink in … Thank you so much to everyone who showed their support,” he said. “Thank you so much to everyone who supports the sport and to everyone who came before me. Really, really cool and incredibly humbling experience that I’ll have trouble putting into words for awhile.”

Hooper is the first athlete from Canada to win the World’s Strongest Man title. He is also the first man to have won both the Arnold Strongman Classic and the World’s Strongest Man in the same year since Hafthor Björnsson pulled off the feat in 2018. 

Featured Image: Mitchell Hooper / YouTube 

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The sport of strongman has a new king, and now he gets to sit on his throne in Myrtle Beach, SC.

After the wild gauntlet that was the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM), Mitchell Hooper used the final day of the contest to capture his first WSM title. Former two-time reigning champion Tom Stoltman (2021-2022) and 2020 victor Oleksii Novikov rounded out the podium. Here’s an overview of the event-by-event results from Day 4 of the 2023 WSM and the official standings leaderboard from the 2023 WSM Finals.

Editor’s Note: Results were provided by our official reporter in attendance. These results were not considered official until after they were confirmed on the World’s Strongest Man homepage.

2023 WSM Finals Leaderboard

Here’s a recap of the results from the fourth and final day of the 2023 WSM, including how each of the top 10 competitors fared on the Max Dumbbell, Bus Pull, and Atlas Stones.

Max Dumbbell Recap

The Max Dumbbell tasked the respective athletes with a single-arm, overhead press of an oversized, thick-handled dumbbell. The athletes lifted in rounds of gradually increasing weight until they couldn’t lift the next sequential dumbbell.

The weights of the dumbbells featured were as follows: 115 kilograms (254 pounds), 125 kilograms (275 pounds), 132.5 kilograms (291 pounds), 140 kilograms (308 pounds), 145 kilograms (319 pounds), 151 kilograms (333 pounds — a World Record weight), and 155 kilograms (342 pounds).

The event started with an unfortunate shake-up for South Africa’s Jaco Schoonwinkel. In his first-ever WSM Finals, Schoonwinkel appeared to suffer an injury during his first lift of the event. The athlete would be forced to withdraw in a result that led to his eventual 10th-place finish.

Mitchell Hooper and Evan Singleton would tie for first place in the Max Dumbbell with four successful lifts.

1. Mitchell Hooper — Four lifts
2. Evan Singleton — Four lifts
3. Oleksii Novikov — Three lifts
4. Tom Stoltman — Three lifts
5. Pavlo Kordiyaka — Three lifts
6. Luke Stoltman — Three lifts
7. Trey Mitchell — Two lifts
8. Brian Shaw — Two lifts
9. Mathew Ragg — Two lifts
10. Jaco Schoonwinkel — Withdrawn

Bus Pull Recap

Next on the docket for the 2023 WSM elite was the Bus Pull. This event gave the respective competitors the objective of pulling a staggering 23,133-kilogram (51,000-pound) bus as far as possible down a 25-meter (82-foot) path with a time limit of one minute.

Hooper once again won the event, finishing the Bus Pull in 30.24 seconds. This event marked Hooper’s eighth event victory throughout the contest.

1. Mitchell Hooper — 30.24 seconds
2. Tom Stoltman — 32.27 seconds
3. Evan Singleton — 32.27 seconds
4. Pavlo Kordiyaka — 32.46 seconds
5. Trey Mitchell — 32.49 seconds
6. Brian Shaw — 32.65 seconds
7. Luke Stoltman — 32.83 seconds
8. Mathew Ragg — 36.29 seconds
9. Oleksii Novikov — 33.35 seconds
10. Jaco Schoonwinkel — Withdrawn

Atlas Stones Recap

As is WSM tradition, the Atlas Stones put a cherry on top of the 2023 WSM. The athletes had to lift five progressively heavier stones onto their respective platforms within a one-minute time limit. The five stones had weights of 150 kilograms (330 pounds), 160 kilograms (350 pounds), 180 kilograms (395 pounds), 200 kilograms (440 pounds), and 210 kilograms (460 pounds).

Entering this final event, all Hooper needed to secure his first WSM title was a minimum sixth-place result. After a few competitors faltered on the fifth Atlas Stone, Hooper’s second-place finish was more than enough to pen him down in strongman history. Though, runner-up Tom Stoltman would win the Atlas Stones event by lifting all five Stones in 33.26 seconds to entrench himself on the 2023 WSM podium.

1. Tom Stoltman — 5 stones, 33.26 seconds
2. Mitchell Hooper — 5 stones, 36.96 seconds
3. Trey Mitchell — 5 reps, 45.72 seconds
4. Oleksii Novikov — 4 reps, 27.43 seconds
5. Evan Singleton — 4 reps, 28.16 seconds
6. Brian Shaw — 4 stones, 35.88 seconds
7. Pavlo Kordiyaka — 4 stones, 45.86 seconds
8. Luke Stoltman — 4 stones, 48.49 seconds
9. Mathew Ragg — 4 stones, 49.5 seconds
10. Jaco Schoonwinkel — Withdrawn

A Historic World’s Strongest Man

There was no shortage of worthy storylines at the 2023 WSM.

With his title, Hooper capped one of the more remarkable approximate one-year runs in strongman history. Now, while sitting at the top, he may well be beginning an extended reign of dominance as the sport’s preeminent royalty.

On a bittersweet but likely still happy note, four-time WSM champion (2011, 2013, 2015-2016) Brian Shaw finished in seventh place in his last WSM Finals. The strongman legend walks off into the sunset having qualified for the WSM Finals on 15 of 16 occasions in his career.

Meanwhile, the former two-time defending champion in Tom Stoltman fell short of a historic three-peat, but that doesn’t mean he’s lost his place as an elite competitor. In the weeks and months ahead and in any ensuing WSM, it wouldn’t be a far cry to see Stoltman contend for many strongman titles.

As far as debuts goes, Mathew Ragg’s WSM debut was the first New Zealand competitor’s appearance in the WSM final in 40 years, with Allan Hallberg in the 1983 WSM being the last representative. South Africa’s Jaco Schoonwinkel also had an extremely solid showing, dominating his Qualifying Group before falling to injury.

Indeed, the 2023 WSM was a cornucopia of incredible strength and athletic resolve. In the end, Hooper stood tall above the rest of his talented peers.

Featured image: Todd Burandt / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man

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Mitchell Hooper is the champion of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM). The athlete is the first Canadian victor in the contest’s illustrious 46-year history. After an all-around dominant performance from start to finish, it’s abundantly clear that Hooper came, saw, and conquered over the rest of strongman’s elite performers in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Rounding out the 2023 WSM podium were Tom Stoltman (second place) and Oleksii Novikov (third place). A runner-up finish is admirable and a quality result for Stoltman, but it was also assuredly not what the former two-time champion (2021-2022) hoped for. Meanwhile, Novikov takes home his second consecutive podium finish after capturing the 2020 WSM title.

Here are the standings from the Finals of the 2023 WSM:

2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals Standings

1. Mitchell Hooper (Canada) | 2023 WSM champion
2. Tom Stoltman (United Kingdom)
3. Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
4. Trey Mitchell (United States)
5. Evan Singleton (United States)
6. Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine)
7. Brian Shaw (United States)
8. Luke Stoltman (United Kingdom)
9. Matthew Ragg (New Zealand)
10. *Jaco Schoonwinkel (South Africa) | *Withdrew on contest’s last day

To notch his first career WSM title, Hooper mostly cleared through the competition’s events schedule.

In the Qualifying Round, Hooper won four of the five events where he participated in Group 3, ensuring he would not have to compete in the climactic Stone Off for a berth in the Finals. Once the weekend’s Finals came around, Hooper won four of five events before the famous Atlas Stones even occurred, virtually guaranteeing himself the title on a mathematical basis barring outright disaster. He would then come in second to cement the victory. Hooper finished his 2023 WSM championship performance with a resounding 53.5 points, lapping the rest of his powerful peers by 4.5 points.

Mitchell Hooper 2023 World’s Strongest Man Event Results

Here’s an overview of how Hooper fared event by event during the 2023 WSM:

Qualifying Round (Group 3)

• Loading Race — First place | Five implements, 52.14 seconds
• Deadlift Machine — First place | Eight reps
• Log Ladder — First place | Five reps, 39.51 seconds
• Conan’s Wheel — First place | 636 degrees
• Kettlebell Toss — Second place | Six reps, 17.18 seconds

Finals

• Reign Total Body Fuel Shield (Heat 3) — First place | 64.8 meters
• KNAACK Deadlift — First place | Eight reps
• Fingal’s Fingers — Sixth place | Five reps, 49.89 seconds
• Max Dumbbell — First place | Four lifts
• Bus Pull — First place | 30.24 seconds
• Atlas Stones — Second place | Five stones, 36.96 seconds

Hooper’s first WSM title caps what might be one of the more jarring rises that strongman has ever seen. The athlete’s first-ever professional show was as a rookie in the 2022 WSM, where he initially entered as a reserve before qualifying for the Finals. He eventually scored an eighth-place result in what now seems like a harbinger of the dominance to come.

That’s because it’s been full steam ahead for the Canadian athlete ever since.

After his 2022 WSM blitz, Hooper qualified for the podium in nine of nine contests, including the 2023 WSM. With his WSM victory in the account, Hooper has now won five of his last six competitions. His WSM triumph aside, the other four contest wins are the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic UK (ASCUK), the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals (GLWTF), the 2023 Australia’s Strongest International (ASI), and the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC).

It’s impossible to precisely predict what lies in store for Hooper’s competitive future. However, he just completed one of the more remarkable one-year runs ever in strongman with a WSM championship and is still just 27 years old.

It’s not hard to envision the new king of the sport holding onto his throne for a long time.

Featured image: Todd Burandt / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man

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Just one day remains in the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM). One day to determine who has the privilege to become ultimate strongman royalty. One day to find out who gets to sit on top of what might be strength sports’ most prestigious throne in Myrtle Beach, SC.

As the second climactic half of the Finals looms on Sunday, here’s where the 2023 WSM Finals leaderboard stands at the end of Day Three, along with a recap of how each athlete fared in the first half of the Finals.

Editor’s Note: Results are provided by our official reporter in attendance. These results are not considered official until after they are confirmed on the World’s Strongest Man homepage.

2023 WSM Finals Leaderboard

2023 World’s Strongest Man Day 3 Results

Here are the Day 3 results from the first part of the 2023 WSM Finals, including each athlete’s individual finishes, any relevant corresponding times and distances, and tasked weights on the Reign Total Body Fuel Shield Carry, the KNAACK Deadlift, and the Fingal’s Fingers. Due to a two-hour inclement weather delay, all the event start times were pushed back accordingly. In a scheduling shift, the Fingal’s Fingers became the last event of the day, while the Reign Total Body Fuel Shield Carry began the Finals.

Reign Total Body Fuel Shield Carry Recap

The Reign Total Body Fuel Shield Carry tasked the competitors with carrying a 196-kilogram (432-pound) shield for maximum distance. Competitors moved back and forth along a 20-meter (65.6-foot) course for as much as they could.

In unfortunate circumstances, controversy may have defined the Reign Total Body Fuel Shield Carry. Ukraine’s Pavlo Kordiyaka, who had a legitimate shot at the 2023 WSM podium (and perhaps even more) entering the first day of the Finals, may have lost his opportunity on a debatable penalty for failing to fully cross a boundary line before continuing one lap of his carry. Kordiyaka would lose a whopping five points and be penalized 19.8 meters of distance from his carry, resulting in a score of 46.59 meters. If not for the penalty, Kordiyaka would’ve had the overwhelming best distance of all participating finalists. The competitor would leave the stage in apparent disgust after the penalty ruling.

Instead, the likely growing WSM favorite, Mitchell Hooper, finished with the best carry of 64.8 meters in Heat 3.

Heat 1

1. Brian Shaw — 39.1 meters
2. Mathew Ragg — 37.65 meters

Heat 2

1. Evan Singleton — 48.3 meters
2. Luke Stoltman — 44.62 meters

Heat 3

1. Mitchell Hooper — 64.8 meters
2. Tom Stoltman — 63.15 meters

Heat 4

1. Trey Mitchell — 50.83 meters
2. Pavlo Kordiyaka — 46.59 meters (includes 19.8-meter penalty)

Heat 5

1. Oleksii Novikov — 55.87 meters
2. Jaco Schoonwinkel — 15.92 meters

KNAACK Deadlift Recap

The KNAACK Deadlift did not reinvent the wheel for the athletes. It was a traditional deadlift for maximum repetitions with 355 kilograms (782.6 pounds) as rain fell on Myrtle Beach. Hooper claimed another event victory by being the only strongman to finish eight repetitions. Four athletes tied for second on the KNAACK deadlift with seven successful repetitions, including Oleksii Novikov, Trey Mitchell, Brian Shaw, and Mathew Ragg.

1. Mitchell Hooper — 8 reps
2. Oleksii Novikov — 7 reps
3. Trey Mitchell — 7 reps
4. Brian Shaw — 7 reps
5. Mathew Ragg — 7 reps
6. Tom Stoltman — 6 reps
7. Evan Singleton — 5 reps
8. Jaco Schoonwinkel — 5 reps
9. Pavlo Kordiyaka — 4 reps
10. Luke Stoltman — 3 reps

Fingal’s Fingers Recap

The end of the first half of the 2023 WSM Finals was a fitting spectacle, as it featured the Fingal’s Fingers. The event had not been a part of a WSM Finals round since 2009, marking a decade-plus absence as a decision-making race. The strongmen had the objective of flipping five successive “fingers” in one minute. The beams had the approximate size of telephone poles and ranged in these weights as they progressed through the course: 145 kilograms (320 pounds), 154 kilograms (340 pounds), 159 kilograms (350 pounds), 163 kilograms (360 pounds), and 172 kilograms (380 pounds).

Two-time defending WSM champion Tom Stoltman paced ahead of the rest of the competitors — completing all five fingers nearly three full seconds before his closest competitor — putting himself in great position for the second half of the Finals on Sunday afternoon.

1. Tom Stoltman — 5 reps, 39.36 seconds
2. Oleksii Novikov — 5 reps, 42.26 seconds
3. Trey Mitchell — 5 reps, 48.46 seconds
4. Pavlo Kordiyaka — 5 reps, 48.69 seconds
5. Evan Singleton — 5 reps, 49.85 seconds
6. Mitchell Hooper — 5 reps, 49.89 seconds
7. Brian Shaw — 4 reps, 26.61 seconds
8. Luke Stoltman — 4 reps, 32.54 seconds
9. Mathew Ragg — 4 reps, 35.03 seconds
10. Jaco Schoonwinkel — 1 rep, 40.76 seconds

A Sunday of Strength

Any number of storylines and questions could define the final day of the 2023 WSM.

Just one year after surprising the elite strongman field in his WSM debut, Mitchell Hooper might lead the fray. The Canadian strongman is arguably in the strongest position to win the title and could culminate one of the more meteoric rises over an approximate year that the sport has ever seen.

Then there’s Brian Shaw. On the last day of his WSM career, Shaw could, theoretically, win all three of the last events to capture a legendary fifth title and cap one of the greatest ever runs in strongman. Technically, two-time defending champion Tom Stoltman is still in a position to finish a rare and legendary “three-peat,” too.

Finally, as the dust settles, it remains to be seen how Kordiyaka’s controversial penalty will define the rest of the contest. It might take a Herculean effort to overshadow a ruling that may have cost an athlete a legitimate opportunity at strongman’s greatest title.

To some, the suspense might be terrible on the last day of the 2023 WSM. To these elite strongmen, they likely hope it lasts.

Featured image: Todd Burandt / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man

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