2020 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Oleksii Novikov may not be one of the athletes vying for the 2025 WSM title, but he remains one of the strongest humans on the planet. At the 2025 Ultimate Strongman Barcelona Strongman Grand Prix contest in Barcelona, Spain, on March 15, 2025, Novikov locked out a massive 18-inch deadlift of 550 kilograms
Locking out the heaviest partial deadlift ever is a legendary feat of strength in and of itself, but Novikov pulling it without a deadlift suit is even more impressive. He wore a lever weight belt and wrist wraps when approaching the barbell with special massive weight plates.
After strapping to the barbell and taking some deep breaths, Novikov stood tall with the weight of the audience’s cheers before receiving a down command from the judge.
This lift broke the all-time 18-inch deadlift world record held by Rauno Heinla, who locked out 540 kilograms in July 2023 at the 2023 Tartu Rammumees ja Rammunaine contest in Tartu, Estonia.
This is not Novikov’s first world record. He holds the Circus Dumbbell for Reps world record with 11 reps using a 100-kilogram weight within 75 seconds. He is also the world record holder of the Hummer Tire Deadlift — 549 kilograms (1,210 pounds).
It would appear Novikov would have had momentum on his side had he entered the 2025 WSM contest in Sacramento, CA, on May 15-18, 2025. However, he is not on the roster to compete in that event. Novikov’s most recent contest before the event in Spain was the 2024 Giants Live USA Strongman Championships in September 2024 in Las Vegas, NV, where he ranked seventh overall.
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Featured Image: @novikov_strong_wsm on Instagram
