Life
Zake Muluzi is a Malayian-born, Scottish strongman who has cemented himself as one of the best strength athletes in Scotland over the last six to seven years. Born in land-locked East African Malawi, he moved to Scotland aged 14. His father was the former Malawian president Bakili Muluzi, the first freely elected president of Malawi who held office from 1994-2004.
Zake is married to Lindsay Muluzi and they have a four-year-old son, Luke. When not competing in strongman, he holds down an offshore career as a rope access technician. He works all around the world abseiling off oil rigs and windfarms, so clearly has a good head for heights, despite being on the large side for a man who spends his days suspended high up on a rope! Aside from the danger element, spending long periods abroad makes consistent training problematic, so at the moment Zake has to squeeze his training into his time off.
As a baby his future as a World’s Strongest Man competitor may have been predestined as at the time of his birth Zake was the heaviest baby to have been born in Malawi, at a whopping 6.2kg/13.7lb!
Career
Having lifted weights consistently over a seven or eight-year period, in 2015, whilst training in Inverness, Zake was to meet Luke Stoltman, who at the time had twice won Scotland’s Strongest Man. The Highland Oak was so impressed with Muluzi, he proceeded to sign him up for the 2015 Scotland’s Strongest Man contest, where with no actual event training he placed 3rd behind Luke.
Since then, Muluzi has earned several podium places at Scotland’s Strongest Man. If he is disappointed not to have yet found himself atop the podium, he can be consoled by the fact that with the likes of Tom and Luke Stoltman, as well as Andy Black to contend with, it hasn’t exactly been an easy title to win in recent years.
Muluzi, who has also competed in American football, turning out for the Stirling Clansman, has limited international experience, although by 2019 he had managed to qualify for World’s Strongest Man in Bradenton, Florida, where he placed 5th in his heat. He has competed on numerous occasions for the Strongman Champions League, having his best result in Finland in 2019, where he finished 5th. His best event at that contest was Front Hold where he placed 2nd.
Best Title
Zake’s best competition result is arguably his runner-up finish as Scotland’s Strongest Man in 2022. He was narrowly beaten by Louis Jack who came from behind after Zake dominated the early events, performing superbly in the Deadlift Ladder, Arm-Over-Arm Truck Pull and Pressing Medley. Unfortunately for Zake, and by his own admission, he “gassed out” in the loading race and let the title slip away after Jack won the Atlas Stones.
In 2021 he won John O’Groats Strongest Man, defeating Orkney’s Calum Elder by 1.5 points.
Competition Results
Best Lifts
Competition Lifts
Training Lifts
Present Day
Zake will make his Giants Live debut at the 2023 Britain’s Strongest Man contest, following his impressive showing at Scotland’s Strongest Man last year. He acknowledges that throughout his strongman career to date, he has failed to realise his true potential and is resolved to “knuckle down” in the coming years and realise his dream of being truly competitive at what he describes as the Everest of his sport – World’s Strongest Man.
Media
Zake keeps a profile on Instagram under the handle @zakemuluzi. He posts videos of his training and work, as well as his competition performances. He is also active on Facebook as Zake Muluzi. On YouTube he has his own account: Zake Muluzi, where he posts his own content detailing his training. There are also some videos of him competing at the 2019 World’s Strongest Man contest, as well as some footage of him playing American Football.
Fans of the Malawian Monster will be able to watch his performance at Britain’s Strongest Man in December 2023 as part of Channel 5’s World Strongest Man television schedule.
