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The World’s Strongest Man may still be a few months away, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have anything we can’t speculate on. Just a little bit ago, the event organizers revealed all six of the events the top athletes will be tested on during the finals. Below, we’ve decided who we believe is most likely to dominate each competition and who else should put up an exciting challenge.
Fingal’s Fingers
Winner: Martins Licis
Pressing power and speed are the key to dominating this event, and we feel there is no man more likely to use both of these attributes for his success than Martins Licis. Winner of the competition in 2019, runner-up in 2022. You just can’t count Licis out in any event.
Exciting: Brian Shaw
His size may seem like a hindrance for this type of event, but Brian Shaw’s pressing power more than makes up for any decreased speed. Don’t be shocked if his height and leverage allow him to breeze through this competition like he did in 2021.
Deadlift
Winner: Oleksii Novikov
Oleksii was just built to deadlift. In the last World’s Strongest Man final, he held a two rep lead over second place, distancing himself from the pack. With more training and experience heading into this next wsm, expect him to once again be leading the deadlift charge.
Exciting: Trey Mitchell
He tied for second in this event last World’s Strongest Man, and he continues to prove his prowess whenever he is faced with a loaded bar. Mitchell has consistently been a top deadlifter, using his pulling abilities to bring him to the top of comp after comp. Don’t be shocked if he puts Novikov’s strength to the test.
Shield Carry
Winner: Mitchell Hooper
Hooper absolutely dominated the Giant’s Medley last year in Sacramento. His ability to carry heavy loads with impressive speed will greatly propel him to the top of the leaderboards in the shield carry. This event is tough for any strongman, but we’re not worried about Hooper.
Exciting: Luke Stoltman
He also competed well during the Giant’s Medley last year, showcasing his stamina alongside his strength. This grueling event takes real grit to beat, something Luke Stoltman is definitely capable of.
Max Dumbbell
Winner: Oleksii Novikov
If we’re talking pressing power, we’re talking Oleksii. During the World’s Strongest Man 2022, Novikov set the world record in the Flintstone Barbell with impressive quickness. That type of explosiveness is sure to see a resurgence this May.
Exciting: Martins Licis
Licis has showcased his upper body strength time and time again. Whether it’s a log lift, a flintstone press, or really anything overhead. Licis will put the competition on his shoulders and give Novikov a run for his money.
Vehicle Pull
Winner: Oleksii Novikov
His use of leverage and technique make him such an awe inspiring competitor at these pulling events. Whether it’s a bus pull, a plane pull, or even a train pull, expect Oleksii to be tough to beat.
Exciting: Tom Stoltman
There isn’t really a strongman event Tom Stoltman can’t win. The vehicle pull is no different. He took third in this event in wsm 2022, but it would be no surprise to see him battling up to the winning spot come May.
Atlas Stones
Winner: Tom Stoltman
In 2022, Tom Stoltman made the stones look like nothing. His speed and strength in the stone off is insane, and we expect him to keep up his pace in the year to come. Nobody’s ranking is safe if the final event is stones and Tom Stoltman is around.
Exciting: Oleksii Novikov
Oleksii had a chance at securing the win last year, if only he didn’t place so low in the stones. That kind of defeat sits with a man, and we bet he’ll be coming for some fierce redemption next time he gets a chance at this event. With him staying off the stage for the Arnold Strongman Classic in March, we can only speculate how much stronger he’ll be getting in his absence.
World’s Strongest Predictions
What do you think of our takes? Is there anyone we left out or anything we forgot to consider? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @bodybuildingcom. And if you’re looking to build strongman strength yourself, check out the program we created for just that goal.