Athletes included reigning champ and current World’s Strongest Man, Tom Stoltman, his big brother and Europe’s Strongest Man Luke Stoltman, and 2020 Britain’s Strongest Man Adam ‘Bish’ Bishop.
In the first of 5 supersized events, the athletes picked up a Giant Shield weighing 200 kilos and carried it until their grip, legs, or sheer will power gave out. It was a disappointing run for Mark Steele who was expected to do well in this event after setting the world record in 2017 with a legendary 60m walk. Unfortunately, Mark “did a Bish” and stumbled over the Shield – ouch! Don’t worry, Mark got right back up, dusted himself off and continued with the rest of the show!
Ireland’s Strongest Man, Pa O’Dwyer, put in a blazing run to set a new 62.15m world record, but he didn’t get to hold that record for long! Tom Stoltman then went head to head with Adam Bishop and set another new, NEW world record of 65.30! What a start to the show!
Reigning record holder Mark falls over with the shield, Pa sets a new World Record and Tom beats it!
After just losing out to Tom in 2021, Bish was hungry to claim back his Britain’s Strongest Man title. A former Strength and Conditioning coach, Bish is known for his precision technique and deadlift is one of his best events. So his performance in Event 2 – a Giant 360kg Axle Deadlift for reps – didn’t disappoint. 6 solid repetitions put him in joint place on this event with World’s Strongest Man, Tom.
Adam Bishop deadlifts the Giant 360kg Axle at Britain’s Strongest Man 2022.
The Axle Deadlift didn’t go quite as smoothly for Europe’s Strongest Man, Luke Stoltman, who pulled out with severe leg cramps.
Luke Stoltman pulls out of Britain’s Strongest Man 2022 with severe leg cramps after the 360kg Axle Deadlift
From hoisting Axles off the floor, to heaving them overhead… Event 3 was a mighty 155kg Axle Press. 6ft 7” giant Tom Stoltman took the win on this event with 5 reps, but top marks for effort has to go to Sheffield’s own Paul Smith who split jerked his way to 4 reps, despite an injury to his sternum.
Paul Smith split jerks the 155kg Giant Axle Press for 4 reps at Britain’s Strongest Man 2022
The fourth event saw a brand new challenge for Britain’s Strongest Men – the Sandbag Throw! Six sandbags weighing 19 to 28 kilos had to be thrown over a bar 15ft high in the air as fast as humanly possible. It was newcomer, Shane Flowers – England’s Strongest Man, who absolutely destroyed this event, throwing all bags over the 15ft bar in just 18.38 seconds and making it look easy (we promise you, it isn’t!). It was a mind-blowing performance from Flowers who has only been in competitive strongman for 6 months!
Shane ‘Flower Power’ Flowers absolutely smashes the Sandbag Throw at Britain’s Strongest Man 2022
Of course, no strongman show would be complete without a stones finale. Going into the final event, Tom all but had the win in the bag with a 9 point lead, so it was a battle for 2nd place between Pa O’Dwyer and Adam Bishop. A 32.05 second run secured Pa second place and his first ever Giants Live podium, with Bish just 3 points behind him in third.
>> CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL RESULTS <<
Congratulations to the winners and all the athletes who work tirelessly to put on such an incredible and inspirational show of strength and human possibility! What an immense start to 2022 for the sport of Strongman!
