The 46th annual World’s Strongest Man (WSM) is running from Wednesday, April 19 through Sunday, April 23, 2023 with a one-day break on Friday, April 20, to separate the Qualifying Round from the Finals. The biggest event in strength sports is being held for the first time in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at the Burroughs & Chapin Pavilion Place.
Breaking Muscle will be consistently updating this results page to keep you on top of all the action throughout this year’s contest. Contest organizers have stated there will be no livestream of the event but, as the contest progresses, WSM is offering behind-the-scenes commentary and interviews with athletes, hosted by former WSM competitor Terry Hollands.
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 Qualifying Round Leaderboard
| Rank | Name | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | ||
| 1 | Pavlo Kordiyaka — Ukraine — Finalist | 25 |
| 2 | Tom Stoltman — United Kingdom — Finalist | 20.5 |
| 3 | Bobby Thompson — USA | 20 |
| 4 | Konstantine Janashia — Georgia | 17.5 |
| 5 | Pa O’Dwyer — Ireland | 13 |
| 6 | Eddie Williams — Australia | 9 |
| Group 2 | ||
| 1 | Oleksii Novikov — Ukraine — Finalist | 23 |
| 2 | Luke Stoltman — United Kingdom — Finalist | 21 |
| 3 | Gavin Bilton — United Kingdom | 20 |
| 4 | Thomas Evans — USA | 18 |
| 5 | Kristjan Jon Haraldsson — Iceland | 15.5 |
| 6 | Fadi El Masri — Lebanon | 7.5 |
| Group 3 | ||
| 1 | Mitchell Hooper — Canada — Finalist | 29 |
| 2 | Mathew Ragg — New Zealand — Finalist | 22.5 |
| 3 | Aivars Smaukstelis — Latvia | 17.5 |
| 4 | Mateusz Kielszkowski — Poland | 14 |
| 5 | Graham Hicks — United Kingdom | 11.5 |
| 6 | Spenser Remick — USA | 10.5 |
| Group 4 | ||
| 1 | Jaco Schoonwinkel — South Africa — Finalist | 24 |
| 2 | Brian Shaw — USA — Finalist | 23.5 |
| 3 | Rauno Heinla — Estonia | 20.5 |
| 4 | Adam Bishop — United Kingdom | 14 |
| 5 | Kevin Faires — USA | 13.5 |
| 6 | Gabriel Rheaume — Canada | 9.5 |
| Group 5 | ||
| 1 | Trey Mitchell — USA — Finalist | 26 |
| 2 | Evan Singleton — USA — Finalist | 24.5 |
| 3 | Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — Iceland | 22.5 |
| 4 | Mark Felix — United Kingdom | 12.5 |
| 5 | Paul Smith — United Kingdom | 11 |
| 6 | Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — France | 8.5 |
The 2023 World’s Strongest Man
2023 WSM Day Two
After completing the first full day of competition, athletes head into their last opportunities to secure a spot in the Finals. Here are the results from each competitive Group including each athlete’s results, corresponding performance, and placing within the event.
Conan’s Wheel
In a test of core strength, endurance, and perhaps pain tolerance reminiscent of the epic film character, the Conan’s Wheel required competitors to support a 199.5-kilogram (440-pound) bar in the Zercher position while walking around a fixed circle for maximum distance.
Scoring was determined by “degrees” of the circle completed — 360 degrees being one complete lap around the circle’s circumference.
Group 1
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 749 degrees
- Pa O’Dwyer — 722 degrees
- Bobby Thompson — 649 degrees
- Konstantine Janashia — 633 degrees
- Eddie Williams — 614 degrees
- Tom Stoltman — 598 degrees
Group 2
- Oleksii Novikov — 897 degrees
- Gavin Bilton — 557 degrees
- Luke Stoltman — 545 degrees
- Kristjan Jon Haraldsson — 524 degrees
- Fadi El Masri — 70 degrees
- Thomas Evans — 69 degrees
Group 3
- Mitchell Hooper — 636 degrees
- Mathew Ragg — 628 degrees
- Aivars Šmaukstelis —575 degrees
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 538 degrees
- Spenser Remick — 470 degrees
- Graham Hicks — 425 degrees
Group 4
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 713 degrees
- Kevin Faires — 636 degrees
- Gabriel Rhéaume — 476 degrees
- Rauno Heinla — 572 degrees
- Brian Shaw — 411 degrees
- Adam Bishop — 292 degrees
Group 5
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 629 degrees
- Evan Singleton — 589 degrees
- Trey Mitchell — 523 degrees
- Paul Smith — 518 degrees
- Mark Felix — 470 degrees
- Jean-Stephen Corabeouf — 143 degrees
Kettlebell Toss
To determine explosive power, athletes were presented with a series of seven progressively heavier kettlebells. Using a movement similar to a kettlebell swing, they had 60 seconds to launch as many weights as possible past a 4.5-meter (15-foot) bar set overhead.
The weight progression was: 20.5 kilograms (45 pounds), 21.8 kilograms (48 pounds), 22.7 kilograms (50 pounds), 22.7 kilograms (50 pounds), 24 kilograms (53 pounds), 26.3 kilograms (58 pounds), and finally 30.8 kilograms (68 pounds).
Group 1
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 6 reps, 18.09 seconds
- Konstantine Janashia — 6 reps, 19.93 seconds
- Tom Stoltman — 6 reps, 21.99 seconds
- Pa O’Dwyer — 6 reps, 31.71 seconds
- Bobby Thompson — 6 reps, 35.67 seconds
- Eddie Williams — 6 reps, 36.4 seconds
Group 2
- Gavin Bilton — 6 reps, 19.9 seconds
- Luke Stoltman — 6 reps, 49.35 seconds
- Kristjan Jon Haraldsson — 5 reps, 15.57 seconds
- Thomas Evans — 5 reps, 28.68 seconds
- Fadi El Masri — 4 reps, 20.61 seconds
- Oleksii Novikov — 1 rep, 9.56 seconds
Group 3
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 7 reps, 32.44 seconds
- Mitchell Hooper — 6 reps, 17.18 seconds
- Mathew Ragg — 6 reps, 21.96 seconds
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — 6 reps, 25.41 seconds
- Spenser Remick — 5 reps, 24.31 seconds
- Graham Hicks — 4 reps, 20.51 seconds
Group 4
- Brian Shaw — 7 reps, 48.45 seconds
- Adam Bishop — 6 reps, 32.29 seconds
- Kevin Faires — 5 reps, 34.09 seconds
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 6 reps, 47.32 seconds
- Rauno Heinla — 5 reps, 44.31 seconds
- Gabriel Rhéaume — 3 reps, 14 seconds
Group 5
- Trey Mitchell — 7 reps, 34.42 seconds
- Evan Singleton — 6 reps, 28.81 seconds
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 6 reps, 27.66 seconds
- Mark Felix — 4 reps, 42.66 seconds
- Jean-Stephen Corabeouf — 2 reps, 23.65 seconds
- Paul Smith — 1 rep, 28.62 seconds
Stone Off
As the last event of the Qualifying Stage, the second and third place competitors from each group (based on overall points in the leaderboard) battled head-to-head in an attempt to advance into the Finals. The first place competitors from each group have already secured a berth in the Finals.
Athletes took turns lifting progressively heavier Atlas stones over a bar that separates the competitors, with weights ranging from 140 kilograms (308 pounds) up to 200 kilograms (440 pounds). The final and heaviest weight was performed for reps until one strongman could no longer continue.
Group 1
- Tom Stoltman — 3 stones — Winner
- Bobby Thompson — 3 stones
Group 2
- Luke Stoltman — 7 stones — Winner
- Gavin Bilton — 7 stones
Group 3
- Mathew Ragg — 8 stones — Winner
- Aivars Smaukstelis — 8 stones
Group 4
- Brian Shaw — 11 stones — Winner
- Rauno Heinla — 11 stones
Group 5
- Evan Singleton — 8 stones — Winner
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 8 stones
2023 WSM Day One
Competitors began this year’s contest with a full plate of three events — the loading race, the deadlift machine for reps, and the log ladder.
Loading Race
The loading race challenged the athletes’ blend of strength, endurance, and agility. The competitors were tasked with running as quickly as possible across a four- to six-meter (13- to 19.6-foot) field of sand while loading a series of progressively heavier implements onto an elevated platform.
The event was capped with a 90-second time limit. The implements included two stacks of bundled logs (106 kilograms/234 pounds and 114.7 kilogram/253 pounds), a 124.7-kilogram (275-pound) anvil, a 120.2-kilogram (265-pound) sandbag, and a 120.2-kilogram (265-pound) “Husafell” sandbag.
Shortly before the first event began, Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou withdrew from the contest for reasons undisclosed at the time of this article’s publication. He was replaced by Icelandic athlete Kristjan Jon Haraldsson.
Group 1
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 5 implements, 41.38 seconds
- Tom Stoltman — 5 implements, 43.84 seconds
- Bobby Thompson — 5 implements, 56.56 seconds
- Konstantine Janashia — 5 implements, 61.1 seconds
- Pa O’Dwyer — 5 implements, 65.89 seconds
- Eddie Williams — 5 implements, 66.44 seconds
Group 2
- Oleksii Novikov — 5 implements, 52.14 seconds
- Kristjan Jon Haraldsson — 5 implements, 54.58 seconds
- Thomas Evans — 5 implements, 57.4 seconds
- Luke Stoltman — 5 implements, 62.78 seconds
- Gavin Bilton — 5 implements, 63.01 seconds
- Fadi El Masri — 4 implements, 49.57 seconds
Group 3
- Mitchell Hooper — 5 implements, 42.05 seconds
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — 5 implements, 52.71 seconds
- Mathew Ragg — 5 implements — 58.72 seconds
- Spenser Remick — 5 implements, 67.15 seconds
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 5 implements, 67.53 seconds
- Graham Hicks — 4 implements, 53.4 seconds
Group 4
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 5 implements, 47.1 seconds
- Rauno Heinla — 5 implements, 51.41 seconds
- Brian Shaw — 5 implements, 53.7 seconds
- Adam Bishop — 4 implements, 43.12 seconds
- Gabriel Rhéaume — 4 implements, 51.03 seconds
- Kevin Faires — 3 implements, 65.3 seconds
Group 5
- Evan Singleton — 5 implements, 46.9 seconds
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 5 implements, 56.41 seconds
- Trey Mitchell — 5 implements, 66.64 seconds
- Paul Smith — 4 implements, 44.79 seconds
- Mark Felix — 4 implements, 54.32 seconds
- Jean-Stephen Corabeouf — 3 implements, 40.63 seconds
Deadlift Machine
Competitors had 75 seconds to perform as many repetitions as possible using a specially designed deadlift machine. The weight was increased after each successful repetition: 281 kilograms (619.5 pounds), 298 kilograms (657 pounds), 312 kilograms (687 pounds), 329 kilograms (725 pounds), 345 kilograms (760 pounds), 362 kilograms (798 pounds), and 379 kilograms (835.5 pounds).
If the athlete was capable, they were allowed to continue performing repetitions with the seventh (maximum) weight until time ran out.
Group 1
- Bobby Thompson — 7 reps
- Tom Stoltman — 6 reps
- Konstantine Janashia — 6 reps
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 5 reps
- Pa O’Dwyer — 5 reps
- Eddie Williams — 5 reps
Group 2
- Oleksii Novikov — 6 reps
- Thomas Evans — 5 reps
- Luke Stoltman — 5 reps
- Gavin Bilton — 5 reps
- Kristjan Jon Haraldsson — 4 reps
- Fadi El Masri — 4 reps
Group 3
- Mitchell Hooper — 8 reps
- Mathew Ragg — 7 reps
- Graham Hicks — 7 reps
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — 5 reps
- Spenser Remick — 5 reps
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 4 reps
Group 4
- Brian Shaw — 8 reps
- Rauno Heinla — 8 reps
- Adam Bishop — 7 reps
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 6 reps
- Kevin Faires — 5 reps
- Gabriel Rhéaume — 5 reps
Group 5
- Trey Mitchell — 8 reps
- Mark Felix — 6 reps
- Evan Singleton — 6 reps
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 5 reps
- Jean-Stephen Corabeouf — 5 reps
- Paul Smith — 4 reps
Log Ladder
The first day of competition concluded with a staple event in many strongman contests — the log ladder. Testing their upper body strength, athletes worked their way through five progressively heavier logs, one repetition at a time, within a 75-second time limit.
Competitors were presented with a series of five fixed-weight logs. They were allowed as many attempts as needed to successfully put the log overhead. After one complete repetition, they progressed to the next weight: 124 kilograms (275 pounds), 140 kilograms (310 pounds), 158 kilograms (350 pounds), 170 kilograms (375 pounds), and 181 kilograms (400 pounds).
Group 1
- Tom Stoltman — 5 reps, 42.5 seconds
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 5 reps, 46 seconds
- Bobby Thompson — 4 reps, 25.83 seconds
- Konstantine Janashia — 4 reps, 68.35 seconds
- Eddie Williams — 4 reps, 55.89 seconds
- Pa O’Dwyer — 3 reps, 25.8 seconds
Group 2
- Thomas Evans — 5 reps, 38.96 seconds
- Luke Stoltman — 5 reps, 52.76 seconds
- Oleksii Novikov — 4 reps, 32.5 seconds
- Gavin Bilton — 4 reps, 56.84 seconds
- Fadi El Masri — 2 reps, 17.43 seconds
- Kristjan Jon Haraldsson — 2 reps, 16.28 seconds
Group 3
- Mitchell Hooper — 5 reps, 39.51 seconds
- Mathew Ragg — 5 reps, 56.84 seconds
- Graham Hicks — 4 reps, 28.31 seconds
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — 4 reps, 30.44 seconds
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 4 reps, 33.24 seconds
- Spenser Remick — 4 reps, 38.79 seconds
Group 4
- Brian Shaw — 4 reps, 33.99 seconds
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 4 reps, 34.77 seconds
- Rauno Heinla — 3 reps, 21.6 seconds
- Kevin Faires — 3 reps, 28.93 seconds
- Gabriel Rhéaume — 3 reps, 32.96 seconds
- Adam Bishop — 3 reps, 33.25 seconds
Group 5
- Trey Mitchell — 5 reps, 39.44 seconds
- Evan Singleton — 4 reps, 35.48 seconds
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 4 reps, 39.93 seconds
- Paul Smith — 4 reps, 45.84 seconds
- Jean-Stephen Corabeouf — 3 reps, 22.34 seconds
- Mark Felix — 1 rep, 7.58 seconds
2023 WSM Schedule of Events
Here’s the complete schedule for the competition, including the two-day Qualifying Round and the two-day Finals. All times listed are Eastern Standard Time.
Qualifying Stage Day One
- Event One: Loading Race — April 19 | 8 a.m., Sand Stage
- Event Two: Deadlift Machine — April 19 | 12:19 (initially set for 11:29 a.m.), Land Stage
- Event Three: Log Ladder — April 19 | 6:03 (initially set for 4:49 p.m.), Sand Stage
Qualifying Stage Day Two
- Event Four: Conan’s Wheel — April 20 | 8 a.m., Land Stage
- Event Five: Kettlebell Toss — April 20 | 1:20 p.m., Sand Stage
- Event Six: Stone Off — April 20 | 6:13 p.m., Land Stage
Rest Day
Finals Day One
- Event One: Fingal’s Fingers — April 22 | 8 a.m., Street Stage
- Event Two: KNAACK Deadlift — April 22 | 10:41 a.m., Sand Stage
- Event Three: Reign Shield Carry — April 22 | 2:18 p.m., Street Stage
Finals Day Two
- Event Four: Max Dumbbell — April 23 | 8 a.m., Land Stage
- Event Five: Vehicle Pull — April 23 | 10:10 a.m., Street Stage
- Event Six: Atlas Stones — April 23 | 1:54 p.m., Sand Stage
2023 WSM Competitor Withdrawals
While 30 men qualified to enter this year’s WSM, unexpected scenarios can occur. Any competitor withdrawals during the course of the competition will be noted here.
- Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou — Withdrew before the first event of Qualifying Stage Day One. No official reason declared. Replaced by Kristjan Jon Haraldsson.
How Strongman is Scored
Scoring points in competitive strongman events relates to the overall field of competitors. First place can earn as many points as there are competitors, and points descend accordingly.
In the Qualifying stage, athletes can earn a maximum of six points because there are six athletes in each group. First place earns six points; second places earns five, and so on. In the Finals, there will be 10 competitors in total, so first place receives 10 points; second receives nine; third eight; and so on.
In the event of any tied scores, points are split evenly. If two athletes tie for second, for example, the second and third place points are added together and divides by two. For example, in the WSM Finals, if two athletes tie for second place, they would each earn 8.5 points — nine plus eight divided by two.
How to Watch the 2023 World’s Strongest Man
Admission is free for fans attending in person at Burroughs & Chapin Pavilion Place in Myrtle Beach, SC, and gates open to the public at 7 a.m. Eastern time. There will be a fan festival area and a general admission viewing area for spectators.
Unfortunately, for those who wish to watch the 2023 WSM at home, viewing it live is impossible. In the U.S., CBS Sports Network will air the 2023 WSM beginning on May 28, 2023. In the UK, the 2023 WSM will air on Channel 5 in December. In the meantime, the 2023 WSM’s various social media platforms, including YouTube and Instagram, will feature behind-the-scenes coverage while 15-time WSM athlete Terry Hollands conducts interviews with the competitors.
Featured Image: Todd Burandt / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
