World’s Strongest Man 2023 – Giants Live 3


Royal Albert Hall Strongman Classic 2023

Time for another strongman event in what I guess would be the UK’s version of Madison Square Garden? Competing today are:

Rongo Keene – New Zealand

Spenser Remick – USA

Kevin Faires – USA

Eddie Williams – Australia

Trey Mitchell – USA – 2x Shaw Classic Winner

Iron Biby – Burkina Faso – Log Lift and Axel Press World Record Holder

Luke Stoltman – Scotland – 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man

Evan Singleton – USA – 3x Giants Live winner

Pavlo Kordiyaka – Ukraine – Europe’s Strongest Man 2023

Mitchell Hooper – Canada – Arnold Strongman Classic winner 2023

Tom Stoltman – Scotland – World’s Strongest Man 2021 & 2022

This is another incredible lineup for the Strongman Classic! We have a 2 time WSM winner. Arnold Classic winner. Current Europe’s Strongest Man and a former Europe’s Strongest Man. 2x Shaw Classic winner. And a 3x Giants Live winner. PLUS men that hold world records! Overall, I think that you have to look to Tom Stoltman, Mitchell Hooper, Evan Singleton and Pavlo Kordiyaka as favourites.

Event 1 – Nicol Stones

Starting us off is a very brutal event. 2 massive stones must be carried as far as possible, with the current world record being held by Kevin Faires at 24.61m. The reason this event is so difficult is because both stones are different weights, with one at 138kg and the other at 114kg. Then all you have to lift them up with is a small metal ring that is hard to grip and will dig into your hands the entire time. The only thing they have to help them is that they can drop the stones ONCE for 10 seconds. Trey Mitchell has been and gone, managing only 5.73m. He is known for a poor grip so a good showing wasn’t expected here. Then Spenser Remick went, and he got a little further at 6.95m. Kordiyaka was next and he did much better with 16.14m, but that probably won’t be enough to keep him in decent points. Iron Biby got a little ahead with 17.34m. Luke Stoltman got a distance of 19.53m. His brother Tom is currently leading the way though with a distance of 20.87m. We join the action with Rongo Keene, who is making his Giants Live debut. He makes it just past the 10m mark before dropping them, and after picking them up again he doesn’t get much further. 12.50m, which isn’t great, but does put him ahead of a handful of athletes at least! Eddie Williams gets his turn now, and he has a great grip as we saw at this competition last year in the Hercules Hold. He looks very good, managing to get to the half way mark at 20m where they have to turn around, and he is https://www.traditionrolex.com/31successful. Not only that, but he keeps going and BREAKS THE WORLD RECORD before dropping them. A few seconds rest and another pickup, and he finally drops them at 31.66m! I don’t think that can be beaten. However, the remaining athletes will give it their all to try, and first up is Evan Singleton. Outside of actual WSM, Singleton is known to dominate competitions, and he has a drive that few other strongmen have. He gets over the 20m line, but drops a few steps after. Another pickup, and he actually manages to beat the OLD record with 25.25m, but nowhere near the NEW one! Mitchell Hooper, who finished 2nd at this competition last year, has his shot at glory now. Not as fast as Eddie Williams, but he looks very strong until dropping a good way after the 20m mark. Unfortunately he can’t go much further, but it is enough to take current 2nd place at 26.66m! Lastly we have the now FORMER record holder in this event; Kevin Faires. He’s broken the record a couple of times in the past, and he’ll be determined to do it once again here. He powers through the first part of the course, but stumbles a little on the turn and has to drop them. As a result, he can’t continue on much longer, but does break his old record at least! 24.82m.

Event 2 – Super Yoke

450kg Super Yoke to be lifted and carried down the course as quick as possible! Kordiyaka, Hooper, both Stoltman brothers, Singleton and Biby should all do well here! Already taking their turn is Remick, Trey and Keene, with Remick currently in 1st place with a good time of 14.45 seconds. Kodiyaka against Biby first now, and its Biby off like a rocket but he drops it half way allowing Kordiyaka to gain the lead and finish in just over 13 seconds. 20.11 for Biby who will be disappointed with that. Stoltman Vs Stolman in a rare head to head, and as expected, Tom wins and beats the fastest time so far. 12.21 seconds, with Luke getting around 14ish seconds for 4th atm. Faires Vs Singleton time and its Singleton making this look like nothing, beating Tom with a time of 12.19 seconds! Faires finishes just over 20 seconds. Lastly then its Williams against Hooper, and we know Hooper will do everything he can to beat Singleton. And boy does he! He doesn’t just beat Evan, he destroys him, finishing in UNDER 10 SECONDS!!!

Event 3 – Axle Deadlift

360kg Axle bar to be deadlifted as many times in 60 seconds. Not the heaviest weight we’ve seen, but the larger than normal bar makes it much more difficult. 7 men have been, with Trey Mitchell in 1st right now thanks to his 5 reps. Luke Stoltman, Eddie Williams and Keven Faires behind on 3 reps. Remick and Biby with 2 reps, and Rongo Keene only managed 1, though he is dealing with a chest infection. The big 4 are left, and first up are Kordiyaka and Tom Stoltman. Tom is a fantastic deadlifter, while Kordiyaka struggles, and we see that here. 6 reps for Tom, and only 1 for Pavlo. Hopper and Singleton will definitely want to go beyond 6, and should do it fairly easy. 7 reps after only 30 seconds, but a missed rep for Evan perhaps puts him off his game and he only gets 5.

Only 2 events left, so lets have a look at the overall points:

Hooper clear on top right now, but the next event favours Evan way more than Hooper. Stoltman looking good to finish on the podium, while Eddie Williams is having a great competition so far and is still in with a chance. Sadly Keene had to withdraw from competition due to his illness.

Event 4 – Viking Press

150kg to be pressed overhead as many times in 60 seconds! The current world record was set earlier in the year by Paul Smith who managed 13. I see that record being broken today with the likes of Luke, Evan and Biby all being great pressers, and even Tom who I feel gets underrated when it comes to his pressing power. Eddie Williams has been already, managing a respectable 7 reps, which would normally be a good result but in this company I don’t think he’ll finish high. Luke Stoltman perhaps shocking most by “only” getting 12 and not equalling the world record, never mind breaking it. Time to join the action with Kordiyaka and Biby going head to head. Nice to see Biby using his legs here, as far too often we see the real BIG pressers just using shoulder and upper body power, and that causes them to tire out much quicker. Kordiyaka does great too, managing to equal the world record… but that record is now the old one as Iron Biby takes it up to 15! Faires and Remick now, and Remick impresses me by equalling the NEW world record of 15 reps! 9 for Faires which is a great result for him. Trey Mitchell takes on Evan Singleton, and both have great pressing power. Remember that world record of 15? Gone! Evan Singleton with 17 reps… and then Mitchell goes further with 18! Almost 19 but he double dipped and rightfully wasn’t given the rep. Incredible event so far with 2 men still to come!!! Hooper and Tom Stoltman are last up and they know exactly what they need to beat, if it is at all possible. 14 for Hooper and 17 for Tom! However, 14 for Hooper is NOT a great result as it places him around halfway down the leaderboard, putting a number of athletes between him and Evan and Tom.

We only have 1 more event left, and given the placement of Hooper in that previous event, the overall scores have to have changed quite a bit!

Hooper is still on top, but only has a 1 point lead on Evan now. I don’t think its mathematically possible now for anyone to make the podium outisde of Hooper, Singleton and Stoltman, but 1st place is up for grabs for all of them still!

Event 5 – Castle Stones

You know what this is all about; 5 stones ranging from 120kg to 200kg that need to be placed on the platforms in the fastest time. I could make my predictions here, but honestly we’ve seen some crazy surprises in this event over the last few years alone, seeing some of the best stone lifters ever make 1 mistake and miss out on 1st place or even just a podium finish. Tom would normally be the favourite, but literally anything could happen! Leading the way so far is Eddie Williams with 4 stones in just over 25 seconds, then Remick behind him a couple of seconds slower. Luke and Pavlo only managed 3, then Faires with 1. We join the action with Trey against Tom. Both are known for being great stone lifters, but Tom is more often than not THE best. 20.29 seconds for all 5 shows it, while Trey just can’t get that 5th stone up. This is what happens a lot on these 1 day competitions where everyone is exhausted going into the final event! Finally then, its Singleton and Hooper. A mistake from Hooper on the 2nd stone seems to be the end of his chances of finishing 1st, while Singleton keeps on going and gets all 5 up! A slower time than Tom, but given the points difference between them, it means Evan will take the win! Hooper can only manage 3 on this day, and I believe that will give Tom 2nd place!

Evan Singleton with his 4th Giants Live win now! Stoltman moves up to 2nd place, with Hooper dropping down to 3rd. Great results for Trey Mitchell and Eddie Williams too! Disappointing for Kordiyaka who earlier in the year dominated Europe’s Strongest Man.

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