The second event of the 2022 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Final in Sacramento, CA, was Deadlift. As it was at the 2021 WSM contest, the Deadlift was for max reps of a 360-kilogram (795-pound) Jeep in the 60-second time cap.
Oleksii Novikov stayed tight in the pocket and proved his prowess with a deadlift to claim 10 points in the event. Here are the full results:
2022 World Strongest Man Deadlift Results
- Oleksii Novikov — 15 reps
- Tom Stoltman — 13 reps (T-second)
- Trey Mitchell — 13 reps (T-second)
- Mitchell Hooper — 12 reps (T-fourth)
- Martins Licis — 12 reps (T-fourth)
- Brian Shaw — 12 reps (T-fourth)
- Maxime Boudreault — 10 reps
- Luke Stoltman — Nine reps
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — Eight reps (T-ninth)
- Gabriel Rhéaume — Eight reps (T-ninth)
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[Related: 2022 World’s Strongest Man Results and Leaderboard]
Car Deadlift Recap
Melsted was at the bottom of the leaderboard after the KNAACK Giant’s Medley and was thus tasked to deadlift first. Melsted posted seven reps in this event in 2021 and looked to improve upon that in 2022.
Melsted strapped onto the barbell and quickly cleared his first six reps. Rep seven proved difficult, and rep eight required multiple hitches, but he locked them out to set the bar for the rest of the field.
Boudreault went second and needed to post a big finish to make up for a lackluster showing in the Giant’s Medley. He took his time in the first rep but then got into a rhythm and reached double digits — 10 reps.
Rhéaume stepped on stage third, looking to eclipse his fellow Canadian’s 10 reps. Rhéaume’s reps looked so smooth that the crowd began counting his reps for him. After needing to hitch the eighth rep, he took a break before attempting and failing his ninth rep.
Next, Mitchell was to the car, looking to win the event for a second straight year. The crowd chanted, “Five! Six! Seven! Eight!” They continued cheering as Mitchell blew into the teens for a total of 13 reps.
Shaw entered the arena knowing this event was critical for his hopes of securing a fifth WSM title. Big leg drive got the car bouncing off the floor, culminating in 12 reps.
Licis was on the floor next, and his breathing technique sped him through to the double-digit range. A failed grind on his 13th rep followed by a second failed attempt locked him in at 12 reps.
Luke Stoltman hopped into the field of play as the temperature touched 70 degrees. He scored a smooth five reps to open as he kept his composure. He eventually ground through a ninth rep before time was called.
Novikov was in the bronze position entering the event. As one of the lighter athletes in the field, it’s a challenging event for him on paper. He didn’t get that memo as he sped to double digits with a tight technique. A bloody nose greeted him at his event-winning 15th rep.
Tom Stoltman was second-to-last to deadlift and knew he would have to match Novikov’s astounding 15 reps to take a share of first-place points. He appeared very calm and controlled. His pace remained unchanged through 13 reps. He attempted a titanic grind for rep 14 but couldn’t lock it out. Still, an impressive improvement from his eight reps in 2021.
Hooper was last to the floor in an event he was still a mystery in. Fifteen is a lot of reps to beat, but he flew through his reps with sharp lockouts. Fatigue looked to set in around the nine-rep mark, but he successfully ground through 12 reps.
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[Related: 2022 World’s Strongest Man Final Predictions]
The Final Continues
The last event on the first day of the Final is the return of the Flintstone Barbell at 1:30 p.m. PST. The final day of competition includes another trio of events. The Bus Pull at 8:00 a.m. PST will open the day. The Reign Total Body Fuel Power Stairs will occur at 11:00 a.m. PST. The closing event is the Atlas Stones at 2:00 p.m. PST, where a 2022 WSM champion will be crowned.
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