World's Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski |
Strongman Magazine (www.strongmanmag.com) asked me to go to Columbus for The Arnold Weekend and cover the strongman contest and as much of the other stuff as possible as part of their team. With press accreditation allowing me access to the parts that Joe Public can't reach, I knew I was going to see some interesting stuff. Despite being there technically working, I didn't forget my promise to my fellow MuscleTalkers to get some pics and stuff though!
I'll apologise right now to the bodybuilding fans amongst you, as although I saw and spoke to loads of bodybuilders, I didn't watch the bodybuilding contest as I was too busy getting the best coverage of the strongman events as I could. (I was working, honest! Ha-ha!). I did get a couple of great shots of Strongman Magazine's nutrition expert 'Dr Pitbull' with some bodybuilders you might recognise though!
As you may or may not already know the strongman contest was won for the 4th time by undoubtedly the strongest man alive, Zdrunas Savickas. He broke the world record on the Hummer Wheel deadlift (994 lbs), and the Apollons Axle (8 reps), as well as winning the 500kg super yoke, and shared the win on the huge and scary looking 'Circus Dumbbell' lift. The top three was rounded out by the 2004 Worlds Strongest Man winner Vasyl Virastyuk and fellow IFSA strongman Misha Koklyaev. Misha competed in the strongman events on Friday and Saturday, and then went to the Olympic lifting contest on the Sunday at the Expo, and clean and jerked 240kg just to entertain the crowd! Amazing!!
Results:
1st Savickas
2nd Virastyuk
3rd Koklyaev
4th Pfister
5th Magnusson
6th Pudzianowski
7th Siders
8th Bergmanis
9th Filiou
10th Ross
Arnold Strongman Winner
Zdrunas Savickas pressing the "Circus Dumbell" |
Apart from Savickas the two guys who impressed me most were Phil Pfister, who put in the best performance I've seen from him in years, to grab 4th; and the incredible Icelandic powerlifter Benni Magnusson, who after just seven weeks of dedicated strongman training won the timber walk and finished above Mariusz Pudzianowski overall in 5th place. Benni may have lost his powerlifting world record deadlift to Andy Bolton (go Andy!), but he will surely be more than happy with his first outing at the very top level of strongman. Infact it was a great weekend for IFSA with the top five all being IFSA athletes and 'Worlds Strongest Man' Mariusz Pudzianowski, looking out of sorts and out of his depth down in 6th. Whatever the reasons were for his off-colour performance, I can't remember the last time I saw 'The Dominator' finish out of the top 5 in a contest!
Biggest disappointment of the weekend was Glenn Ross who came in last place. I suspected prior to the contest that he could not be at his best so soon after a serious knee injury, and that proved to be the case. The big man was hampered by it throughout and it was sad to see such a powerful guy unable to perform to the very high standards he has set in the past. In hindsight it might have been better all round if Glenn had sat this one out to give himself more time to recuperate, and let the reserve, Travis Ortmayer, who came to the Arnold on the back of a huge win at the Fitness Expo in California in February, compete instead.
Biggest highlights for me were seeing Savickas strict press the Circus Dumbbell for reps so easily after seeing most of the competitors fail to do a single rep with it; and getting to spend time backstage chatting to the guys who I've watched on TV for years! The guys were all very friendly and helpful, and we have some excellent pictures and interviews for the magazine!
For more of my pictures and video of Benni Magnusson and Savickas in action check out www.strongmanmag.com
'Dr Pitbull' with Mr. O, Big Ronnie Coleman | 
World's Strongest Man Runner-up Jesse Marunde with Strongman Magazine's Gemma Taylor (MT Member gemtaylor) and Lucy Ashton |