Game Of Thrones' Hafthor 'The Mountain' Bjornsson Is The World's Strongest Man Of 2018
Game of Thrones actor Hafthor Bjornsson took the top spot in this year's search for the World's Strongest Man in a six-event competition held in Manila, Philippines.
The Icelandic powerhouse now sits on the throne as the world's strongest man after he beat fellow mighty competitors Mateusz Kieliszkowski of Poland and American Brian Shaw. Bjornsson took the title on Sunday after he won three of the final weekend's six events.
Challenges
The competition started with qualifying events on April 28 to May 1. The final events took place on May 5 and May 6. Joining the search was no easy feat. Previous competitors have reportedly done serious damage to themselves just to be the World's Strongest Man. Rightfully so, since the challenges were no laughing matter.
The challenges included pulling a 20-ton truck, the Loading Race, and the Atlas Stones, which involved stacking massive stones on increasingly taller podiums. In the Loading Race, challengers packed on five objects each weighing up to 164 kilograms (362 pounds) while they raced around a 50-foot course unto a platform. Bjornsson and Kieliszkowski fought closely against each other in all challenges.
Results
Bjornsson came in second place in the Truck Pull after completing the challenge in 36.06 seconds. Kieliszkowski came in first with 35.95 seconds. The 29-year-old professional basketball player landed first in the Loading Race with 31.22 seconds and Kieliszkowski came second with 33.66 seconds. Bjornsson took the fifth spot in the Atlas Stones with 4 in 41 seconds and Kieliszkowski in sixth place with 4 in 42 seconds. In all the events, Shaw came in 4th, 5th, and 4th, respectively.
The final event paved the way for the Game of Thrones star to become the World's Strongest Man. Bjornsson came 5.5 points ahead of Kieliszkowski and a sixth-placed finish was all that was needed to score the top spot, which Kieliszkowski took since the actor landed fifth.
Bjornsson, best known for his role as Sir Gregor Clegane aka The Mountain in HBO's Game of Thrones, took home the top spot after beating Kieliszkowski to second place and Shaw in third.
The victory was sweeter for Bjornsson because he was a runner-up in the past. Likewise, 2017 World's Strongest Man, Eddie Hall, was absent from the competition and was humble enough to let the actor take his place instead.
Bjornsson has since thanked his friends, family, and fans for their support. He also thanked his coach and nutritionist for his victory as the World's Strongest Man. He also congratulated Kieliszkowski and Shaw for landing spots in the competition.
THE WORLD’S STRONGEST MAN 2018! . . Want to thank all of my family, friends and fans for supporting me along the way. . Special thanks to my coach @australianstrengthcoach and my nutritionist @stanefferding . . Also want to thank my sponsors, @kjotkompani @sbdapparel @roguefitness . . Congratulations to @kieliszkowskimateusz and @shawstrength for their second and third finishes! . #numberone A post shared by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (@thorbjornsson) on May 6, 2018 at 4:11am PDT
