The second event of the 2025 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest was the Deadlift for Reps. Each of the remaining 23 competitors attempted to pull 350 kilograms (771 pounds) for as many reps as possible. Luke Richardson and Evan Singleton withdrew from the competition after each suffered biceps injuries—Richardson’s right and Singleton’s left—during the Loading Medley.
The Sacramento heat trended up all morning toward the upper 80s. It was reminiscent, albeit not as scorching, of the 2022 WSM contest, also in Sacramento. That contest featured a Deadlift Ladder event; the platform got so hot that athletes’ feet burned from the added pressure of the barbells weighing them down. This compelled some to hop off the stage, failing to complete the event—Pavlo Kordiyaka likely remembers well.
Trey Mitchell was the lone strongman to lift double-digit reps this year, scoring the overall event win. Check out our full recap below.
[Stay Tuned: 2025 World’s Strongest Man Live Results & Leaderboard]
2025 World’s Strongest Man Deadlift for Reps Results
Group One
- Tom Stoltman (UK) — Seven reps
- Eddie Williams (AUS) — Seven reps
- Jaco Schoonwinkel (RSA) — Six reps
- Thomas Evans (USA) — Six reps
- Austin Andrade (MEX) — Five reps
Group Two
- Paddy Haynes (UK) — Eight reps
- Wesley Derwinsky (CAN) — Seven reps
- Mitchell Hooper (CAN) — Seven reps
- Bryce Johnson (USA) — Seven reps
- Mathew Ragg (NZL) — Seven reps
Group Three
- Rayno Nel (RSA) — Eight reps
- Lucas Hatton (USA) — Seven reps
- Evans Nana (GHA) — Seven reps
- Shane Flowers (UK) — Six reps
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski (POL) — no lift
Group Four
- Trey Mitchell (USA) — 10 reps
- Tristain Hoath (CAN) — Eight reps
- Ondra Fojtů (CZE) — Five reps
- Maxime Boudreault (CAN) — One rep
- Luke Richardson (UK) — withdrew
Group Five
- Andrew Flynn (UK) — Six reps
- Nick Guardione (USA) — Four reps
- Pavlo Kordiyaka (UKR) — Four reps
- Luke Stoltman (UK) — Two reps
- Evan Singleton (USA) — withdrew
[Related: Every Winner of the World’s Strongest Man Competition]
2025 World’s Strongest Man Deadlift for Reps Recap
Note: This event did not maintain group order.
Group Three
Hatton opened for Group Three after posting the slowest Loading Medley time. He was confused as to who was giving him the starting whistle while in the starting position until head judge Magnus ver Magnusson clarified. A stellar display of deadlifting prowess led to seven clean reps.
It appeared Hatton might have overheated at the end in the scalding 82-degree heat but was ultimately alright. The warning sign for competitors and crew alike was that the heat was a significant factor to contend with.
Kieliszkowski versus Nana ran heat two. Nana scored seven clean reps before taking a break — a substantial performance in his sophomore WSM. He went for an eighth, but it wouldn’t go. Kieliszkowski never got his first attempt to budge.
Nel and Flowers were paired in the last heat for Group Three. Nel’s pace was twice that of Flowers’. Nel would quickly lower the barbell after each rep while Flowers performed slow eccentrics. It was unclear if Nel’s final rep would count since he dropped the barbell, but he was awarded eight clean reps to win the group.
Group One
Andrade entered solo to kick off Group One. The first four reps looked like a warm-up. The fifth rep slowed, and a sixth rep was missed due to a dizzy spell that threw off his balance.
Andrade attempted to reset but appeared to overheat and crumble to the ground. After a quick rush from medical, he was alright.
Evans versus Schoonwinkel entered next. They were synchronized through the first double before Schoonwinkel picked up the pace to a bloody nose on a rep that was dangerously close but not awarded by Magnus ver Magnusson.
Tom Stoltman and Williams were the group’s last heat. 2025 marks Stoltman’s sixth WSM appearance and Williams’ fourth. Stoltman was the first athlete, thus far, to lift without shoes.
Stoltman was smooth through his reps, though he did not appear comfortable. Williams lifted like any other day at the office, his face pristine with satisfaction. After a break, Stoltman successfully locked out a final rep to match the overall lead at seven reps.
Group Five
Flynn versus Guardione opened. They were both slow to lock out their initial reps, but were steady once in motion. Guardione took a knee after a successful hitch on his last rep. Flynn called off after taking a knee.
Guardione jester-hopped off the stage as he wasn’t wearing shoes, and the platform reached a painful heat from baking in the sun.
Luke Stoltman and Kordiyaka closed for Group Five. Kordiyaka appeared upset by a delay as he and Stoltman cooked in the heat and stood in socks on fiery platforms. They strapped in, and Kordiyaka wasted no time with a fast triple. He scored a shaky fourth rep before failing a fifth after regripping twice.
When asked on the sidelines about the difficulty of pulling a deadlift that heavy after regripping:
Oh, it’s terrible. It looked like Kordiyaka didn’t have enough chalk on his hands and straps,” which caused the bar to slip.
—Rob Kearney
Group Two
Johnson opened solo for Group Two and made the weight look like child’s play through four reps. A fifth rep was slower, a sixth even slower, and a seventh needed hitching. He failed his eighth attempt before the whistle sounded.
Ragg and Derwinsky took the stage knowing Nel’s eight was the mark to beat. Ragg lifted steadily with a towel on his head that fell off after his third rep. Derwinsky matched Ragg rep for rep before stepping off the platform to steady himself. Ragg continued through the whistle to match second overall.
Haynes and Hooper stuck together to run a second consecutive event. Hooper was off the floor the moment the whistle sounded. The bucket hat duo pulled at their own steady paces. Hooper nearly locked out his final rep but couldn’t get it to go and dropped the bar. Haynes grinded through his final rep until the judge’s down signal came to win the event.
Group Four
Throughout the event, the WSM crew wiped the barbells and platforms down with frozen towels to prevent overheating. They did so again before Hoath and Mitchell entered for the penultimate heat.
Mitchell was clinical through five reps. Hoath kept pace. Mitchell showed no weakness through seven reps and locked out an eighth clean. He hitched his way to a ninth and got a tenth to his knees before the whistle blew.
Fojtů and Boudreault closed out the event knowing that eight reps would offer a substantial point gain over the rest of the field, even if it still ran runner-up Mitchell’s 10-bagger. Boudreault was glacial through his first rep and waved off after locking it out. Fojtů fared a bit better but called off after securing five reps.
Overhead Yonder
Day one will feature one more event: the Rogue Overhead Medley at 5 p.m. PST. Day two starts with the Titan’s Toss at 10 a.m. PST.
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Featured image courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
