Luke Stoltman

About Luke Stoltman

Life

Luke Stoltman is a two-time Europe’s Strongest Man winner and a six-time World’s Strongest Man finalist. The eldest of the Stoltman brothers – strongman’s most powerful siblings – his younger brother Tom is the three-time World’s Strongest Man. Luke was born in Invergordon in the Scottish Highlands and is known as the “Highland Oak.”

At 6’ 3” or 1.91m and 163kg/359lb, Luke is by no means the largest in his family, but he is the possessor of huge static strength, particularly in overhead pressing events. Luke worked for much of his strongman career as a dimensional surveyor on oil rigs, but eventually moved to becoming a full-time athlete – a move that transformed his career.

Career

Luke began competing in strongman in 2013, contesting that year’s Britain’s Strongest Man in Gateshead, where he placed 9^th out of 12 competitors. The following year he improved to 7^th in Doncaster and placed 6^th in 2015. During this time, he secured his first of 5 consecutive Scotland’s Strongest Man titles from 2013 – 2017

A debut at World’s Strongest Man came for Stoltman in 2016, after a solid performance at Europe’s Strongest Man the previous year. Failing to qualify for the final after a 4^th place finish in his heat, Luke gained invaluable experience and was able to place 4^th at Britain’s Strongest Man in 2017. At World’s that year Luke was 3^rd in his heat and would narrowly miss out on the final.

During this time in Stoltman’s career, although he was steadily improving his strength, it was not reflected in his contest results. In 2018 he again missed out on a World’s Strongest Man Final qualification and placed a disappointing 6^th at BSM. Due to his offshore work, Luke was often unable to train properly for two-week blocks and this was hampering his development.

2019, and a move towards full-time training yielded a significant breakthrough for The Highland Oak as he successfully qualified for the WSM final, finishing 7^th, in Bradenton, Florida, alongside his brother, Tom, who placed 5^th. The pair were the first brothers to ever reach the final at WSM. At Britain’s that year, a contest where Luke has often struggled, he equalled his best placing of 4^th.

2020 brought Luke’s first podium finish at BSM. He placed 3^rd behind his brother, Tom, and winner Adam Bishop (ENG). Disappointment at World’s was short-lived, however, as 2021 proved to be Luke’s breakthrough year, despite being 36. Wins at Europe’s Strongest Man and the Giants Live World Tour Finals, in front of a Scottish crowd in Glasgow, were backed up by another 7^th place in the World’s Strongest Man final, whilst Tom lifted the winner’s trophy. That same year, Luke established a British record in the log press, successfully completing a 221kg/487lb lift at WUS’s “Feats of Strength” showcase.

In 2022 Luke finished 7^th, once again, at World’s and placed 2^nd at Europe’s Strongest Man. Competing sparingly that year he returned to World’s in 2023 and took 8^th in his 4^th final. In 2024 the Invergordon man would finish 9^th in his 5^th WSM final and take his 2nd Europe’s Strongest Man title in Leeds.

2025 got off to the best possible start, having turned 40, with Luke claiming his first Britain’s Strongest Man title, with a comfortable points win over Shane Flowers and Andrew Flynn in Sheffield. He wasn’t able to defend his Euro title, withdrawing due to illness after three events, but reached his 6^th WSM final in May, placing 9^th overall.

Best Title

In 2021, at Leeds First Direct Arena, Luke won Europe’s Strongest Man for the first time, which was the most significant win of his career to date. He defeated World’s Strongest Man, Oleksii Novikov (UKR), and England’s Graham Hicks with a performance that showcased his huge static strength and tremendous mobility. It was a victory that cemented the Scot’s place in the upper echelon of Strongman.

Competition Results

World’s Strongest Man: 2024 & 2025 – 9^th place, 2023 – 8^th place, 2022, 2021 & 2019: 7^th place, 2020 & 2016 – 4^th in heat, 2018 & 2017 – 3^rd in heat

Europe’s Strongest Man: 2021 & 2024 – Winner, 2022 – runner-up, 2019: 6^th place, 2017 – 7^th place, 2015 – 7^th place, 2015 – 6^th place, 2014 – 7^th place, 2013 – 9^th place, 2025 – 10^th place

Britain’s Strongest Man: 2025 – Winner, 2024 – 3^rd place, 2022 – 10^th place, 2021 – 4^th place, 2020 – 3^rd place, 2019 – 4^th place, 2017 – 4^th place, 2016 – 4^th place

Arnold Strongman Classic: 2022 – 3^rd place, 2023 – 9^th place

Rogue Invitational: 2024 – 5^th place, 2023 & 2021 – 8^th place

Shaw Classic: 2023 – 13^th place, 2022 – 15^th place, 2020 – 7^th place

Giants Live: World Tour Finals: 2021 – Winner, 2024 – 4^th place, 2023 – 5^th place, 2019 – 4^th place

USA Strongman Championships – 5^th place

Strongman Open: 2023 – 5^th place

Strongman Classic: 2021 – 6^th place, 2023 – 6^th place

Wembley 2019: 4^th place

Arnold UK 2021: 9^th place

Poland 2014: 9^th place

World Log Lift Challenge: 2022 – Winner, 2022 (equal 1^st with Iron Biby (BUR) with 218kg/481lb)

Scotland’s Strongest Man: Winner 2013-2017

Iceland’s Strongest Man 2019: 3^rd place

Competition Lifts

Log lift: 221kg/487lb

Deadlift: 400kg/881lb

18-inch Deadlift: 430kg/948lb

Hummer tyre deadlift: 422kg/930lb

Axle press: 190kg/419lb

Log lift for reps: 150kg/331lb x 9 reps in 60 secs

Squat: 370kg/816lb

Dumbbell: 132kg/291lb

Media

The Stoltman brothers have enjoyed increased media attention and have an ever-growing social media presence. Luke and his 342k of Instagram followers can be found on @luke.stoltman. Both Luke and Tom have also attracted over 260k subscribers on YouTube under the name of Stoltman Brothers. Their channel is hugely entertaining and follows their competition and training exploits, among other activities. On Facebook, Luke Stoltman – The Highland Oak, is where fans can catch up with him.