The 2018 World’s Strongest Man champion, Hafthor Björnsson, is a Hall of Famer. Björnsson was elected for induction into the International Sports Hall of Fame’s (ISHOF) Class of 2023. The ISHOF is a body that honors athletes and contributors from various sports around the world. It was founded by Dr. Robert Goldman in 2012.
Björnsson is the third strongman to be honored in the ISHOF. He joins 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) winner and former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry, and three-time WSM Bill Kazmaier. Henry was inducted in the inaugural class of 2012, while Kazmaier joined in 2017.
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2023 International Sports Hall of Fame — Class of 2023
The full class of 2023 is listed below in alphabetical order:
- Hafthor Björnsson
- Kayla Harrison — Two-time Olympic judo gold medalist and two-time women’s MMA champion
- Jackie Joyner Kersee — Six-time Olympic medalist and heptathlon world record holder
- Ronnie Lott — NFL legend and Super Bowl champion
- Richard Sorin — Founder of Sorinex Exercise Equipment, legend of grip strength
As of this article’s publication, Björnsson has yet to acknowledge the announcement. Aside from his 2018 WSM title, Björnsson is a three-time ASC champion and won the 2018 World’s Ultimate Strongman (WUS) contest. In 2020, he pulled 501 kilograms (1,104.5 pounds), which was the heaviest deadlift in history.
Björnsson competed as a boxer in 2021 and 2022. He defeated 2017 WSM champion Eddie Hall by unanimous decision in their highly anticipated bout in Dubai, UAE, in April 2022. Aside from his strength and sports accomplishments, Björnsson may be best known for his role as Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane in the HBO series Game of Thrones.
[Related: 2023 Britain’s Strongest Man Results — Adam Bishop Reclaims The Throne]
In 2022, Bjornsoon returned to strongman in a one-off appearance to break his own world record in the Weight Over Bar event. Björnsson tossed a 25.4-kilogram (56-pound) weight over a 20-foot, three-inch high bar. He most recently competed in his own powerlifting meet in December 2022, where he totaled 970 kilograms (2,138.5 pounds).
The 2023 ISHOF induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 4, as part of the 2023 Arnold Sports Festival (ASF) in Columbus, OH. The ceremony will be a private event, but it’s expected to be streamed. Details of that stream have not been announced as of this article’s publication.
Featured Image: @thorbjornsson on Instagram
