He’s big, strong, and still young enough to keep the field on its toes for years to come. After an incredible 2018 strongman season — in which he won every contest he entered — Hafthor Bjornsson has the chance to continue a run of dominance basically unheard of in the sport.
The list is even more impressive to read than to think about. In 2018, Thor won:
Arnold Strongman Classic
Europe’s Strongest Man
World’s Ultimate Strongman
Iceland’s Strongest Man
World’s Strongest Man
Oh, and he even had time to train in powerlifting and put up one of the year’s best totals in THAT sport.
Yes, Thor was dominant last year, and all signs point to him showing up to 2019 competitions in similar — if not better — shape.
But don’t just take my word for it. To see if Thor is shaping up well for 2019 — and to get a short list of potential challengers — I spoke with four experts in the sport of strongman to get their thoughts. They included:
1. Rob Kearney — Professional Strongman, World’s Strongest Man competitor, and an athlete who competed against Thor TWICE in 2018
2. Cara Brennan — Strongwoman Athlete and BarBend Contributor
3. Michael Gill — Retired Professional Strongman, Coach, and BarBend Contributor
4. Kalle Beck — Strongman Athlete, BarBend Contributor, & Owner of Starting Strongman
In the video above, our panel of experts breaks down Thor’s strengths, potential weaknesses (including events where they could see him struggling), and top competition. With a mix of accomplished veterans and hungry younger competitors in this year’s field, there’s not guarantee any one athlete will come out on top.
Do you think there’s anyone out there who can challenge Thor this year? Who would you like to see take his crown? Let us know in the comments below!