The first day of the 2022 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest has seen some impressive lifts — and some significant setbacks and injuries. On May 25, the second day of the competition, WSM announced on Instagram that UK strongman Shane Flowers has withdrawn from competition.
The first event in Sacramento, the Loading Race, was held on May 24. Flowers seemed to injure himself during that event. Before announcing his withdrawal, Flowers managed to pull off four deadlifts in event two, the Deadlift Ladder. However, after his lifts, he could be seen sitting on the side of the competition field wearing a cast on his foot. Flowers withdrew before competing in any second-day events, which include the Car Walk and the Log Lift. This article will be updated as BarBend learns more about the nature of his injuries.
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Flowers was not the first competitor to experience medical setbacks during the competition. American Evan Singleton withdrew on May 24, the competition’s first day, due to experiencing anaphylactic shock. Singleton was later cleared by medical to continue in the competition.
Chilean Manuel Angulo Jaime also seemed to be limping off some pain in the midst of the first event, the Loading Race, though at the time of this writing, the first South American athlete to compete in the WSM is still a contender.
Flowers at the 2022 WSM
Flowers started off the competition for Group 4, going head-to-head with Ukranian strongman Pavlo Kordiyaka during the Loading Race. This was a WSM debut for both competitors. Flowers developed an early lead, but dropped the last sandbag at the platform, seeming to injure his left leg. He ultimately finished the event in 48.70 seconds, earning himself two points.
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A former junior international powerlifter, Flowers powered through his injury to pull four reps in 36.69 seconds during the Deadlift Ladder, earning himself four points. However, he casted up his left foot after his pulls.
Flowers’ Strongman Career
The 2022 WSM is Flowers’ debut appearance on this particular stage. According to Strongman Archives, he made his strongman debut on the big stage at 2021 Britain’s Strongest Man, where he placed seven out of 10 competitors. In 2022, he tried again at the same contest, this time just missing the podium by finishing fourth. He also competed in the open of the 2022 Europe’s Strongest Man, where he placed fifth.
How to Watch the 2022 WSM
While you need to be in Sacramento, CA during the May 24-29 competition live, you can also tune into the live show that WSM is producing — Backstage Live! Presented by The Beard Struggle — that will be aired on WSM’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Later in the summer, the CBS Sports Network in the U.S. will air the full event.
You can keep updated on all of these events by tuning into our Leaderboard and Results page.
Featured Image: @_shaneflowers / Instagram