North athlete Tom Stoltman is hoping for a hat trick as he aims to break his third world record of 2020.
The Ross-shire strongman, formally labelled “king of the stones” is gearing up to make history by lifting the world’s first 668lb (303kg) Atlas stone.
The 26-year-old will undertake the feat at the Stoltman Strength Centre in his home town of Invergordon on Sunday.
Speaking ahead of the event, an optimistic Mr Stoltman said he was meeting all the targets in his training.
He said: “Training has been going very well. I have been hitting everything I am meant to hit and have done everything properly, so as far as I am concerned everything is on point.
“It would mean everything to secure the record. It would be the first over 300kg stone ever lifted and I don’t think anyone is ever going to break it. I would be able to keep adding to the record and control it as much as I want.”
His world record attempt will be livestreamed online by CoreSports.
It marks the third of its kind for the Highland strongman after successfully securing two world records in the last six months.
In March, the man known as The Albatross secured his first world title, setting a new Atlas Stone weight record of 602lb (273kg) in Columbus, Ohio.
However, this record was put in the shade as he successfully lifted the 630lb (286kg) stone in May; setting the bar in the sport.
He spoke of how keeping calm and his love for his family helps strive him towards greatness.
He added: “You don’t want to stress yourself out and see the stones in the gym and start having second thoughts.
“If you start getting focused too early, that uses energy so you need to balance it out and start getting focused, both mentally and physically ready, like 20 minutes before you go and lift so you can use all your energy all in one big go rather than wasting it.
“Stones are the only lifts when I smile. I always say to myself that ‘there is someone under there I love and if I don’t lift it they’re dead’.
“If I get too angry and too worked up for lifting a stone it’s all that energy coming out. I just try and stay nice and focused and chilled and use all my energy in lifting the stone off the ground.”