The final event of the 2022 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest was the Atlas Stones. Two former WSM champions — Tom Stoltman and Oleksii Novikov — were separated by 1.5 points atop the leaderboard and clashed one last time to determine who would become a two-time champion.
Athletes were tasked with lifting five stones ranging in weight from 310 pounds to 440 pounds in the fastest time possible. Here are the full results:
Atlas Stone Results
- Tom Stoltman — Five stones, 25.76 seconds
- Maxime Boudreault — Five stones, 28.04 seconds
- Trey Mitchell — Five stones, 33.06 seconds
- Brian Shaw — Five stones, 39.29 seconds
- Martins Licis — Five stones, 45.74 seconds
- Luke Stoltman — Four stones, 25.78 seconds
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — Four stones, 28.87 seconds
- Gabriel Rhéaume — Four stones, 33.55 seconds
- Mitchell Hooper — Four stones, 33.78 seconds
- Oleksii Novikov — Four stones, 36.70 seconds
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[Related: 2022 World’s Strongest Man Results and Leaderboard]
Atlas Stones Recap
The weights of the five Atlas Stones are as follows: 140 kilograms (310 pounds), 150 kilograms (330 pounds), 160 kilograms (355 pounds), 180 kilograms (400 pounds), and 200 kilograms (440 pounds). Athletes competed in two-person heats. It was clear skies and touching 80-degrees on the competition floor.
The first heat was Rhéaume against Melsted. While both men’s podium hopes were no more, they could still influence the outcome of the competition as Novikov needed at least one strongman between him and Tom Stoltman at the end of the event to claim the overall win.
Melsted loaded the first stone and held that slight lead through to the last stone. Both men braced themselves to pick up the 440-pound finisher, but neither could secure it to the pedestal. Melsted got close but didn’t have the leverage to finish.
Heat two paired Luke Stoltman versus Boudreault. Boudreault was coming off an event win in the Power Stairs, though neither man was live for the podium. Both men could be seen applying tacky to their hands and forearms ahead of the event, and were conscious not to let it overheat.
Boudreault took a slight lead on the first stone and expanded it by the fourth stone. A rapid event for Boudreault locked in a time of five stones in 28.04 seconds. Stoltman made two attempts on the fifth stone but couldn’t convert either time.
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Hooper and Mitchell took the floor for heat three. Neither man had a path to the podium but could still influence the final leaderboard. This was Hooper’s Atlas Stones debut on an international stage, and his speed was on display again.
Both Mitchell and Hooper one-motioned the first two stones before Hooper clipped the pedestal on his third stone. Mitchell was done with the event when Hooper reached the fifth stone. A final effort nearly ended in disaster as Hooper lost his balance and almost crushed his foot. Hooper had to limp off the stage but did so without assistance and appeared okay.
Licis and Shaw entered the field of play for heat four. Licis had a solid hold on the bronze position on the leaderboard, and that is where he was slated to finish the contest barring some obscure amalgam of unforeseeable circumstances.
Shaw took an early lead as Licis took an extra moment to ensure his fourth stone was securely on the pedestal. Both men attempted to lift their fifth stone simultaneously, and Shaw utilized his size to lock it in first. It appeared as though Licis might drop the fifth stone for a brief second, but he recovered and placed it safely on the pedestal.
Tom Stoltman and Novikov entered the arena to race for the 2022 WSM title one last time. This is the same scenario Stoltman was in against Shaw in the 2021 WSM Final, where Stoltman scored an event-winning time to secure his first world title.
Stoltman made insanely fast work of the first four stones. Novikov fumbled his fourth stone after it was certain Stoltman clinched the title. Novikov attempted the fifth stone but waved it off.
Featured image: @tomstoltmanofficial on Instagram