Strongman legend and Game of Thrones star Hafthor Bjornsson admits he was “pretty close” to making a world record attempt after his colossal deadlift during the Rogue Invitational at Aberdeen’s P&J Live.
The 6ft 9in Icelandic strength icon – who is known as Thor and played the menacing Mountain in the globally-successful HBO television series – made a staggering start in his bid to win the men’s strongman crown in the Granite City.
Thor pulled 458kg (1,010lbs) from the floor with relative comfort, beating the 442kg hit by Canada’s reigning Rogue Invitational champion Mitchell Hooper and 431kg from New Zealand’s Matthew Ragg.
Invergordon’s World’s Strongest Man Tom Stoltman and his brother Luke pulled 397kg and 381kg, respectively.
Having been declared the victor in the opening duel of a men’s strongman competition which runs into Saturday – during what is a weekend-long combined strongman/woman and CrossFit Rogue Invitational event – Thor was then locked in conversations with organisers as he swithered over an unexpected, world record-beating third deadlift attempt.
A lift of 472kg (1,040lbs) would have been the biggest raw – i.e. without the use of a strength suit – deadlift in history.
Thor, who holds the assisted deadlift world record of 501kg, says he would have gone for the raw equivalent in Aberdeen – but feared the toll on his body the weight would take.
Speaking to The Press and Journal, Bjornsson said: “I’d say I would’ve had a good chance of breaking it.
“It wasn’t necessarily the right place to do it today, because you don’t want to, with five events to go… I want to perform as well as I can in those events, and that means I have to be smart with my decisions.”
Thor said he was “really pleased” with his deadlift performance in what is also his Rogue Invitational debut this year.
Thor: Feeling of the crowd in Aberdeen is good
The event is taking place outside of the United States for the first time ever, with the north-east of Scotland an ideal location for Bjornsson.
Having only touched down in Aberdeen from Iceland on Wednesday, he said: “It was so close to home – a two-hour flight, same time zone. It was quite easy for me, so I literally arrived, had a rest day, rested yesterday, then competed today.
“That’s enough for me.”
Thor was impressed with the first day crowd at the Granite City venue, adding: “I’ve not competed in Scotland before. I’ve been here a few times but never competed.
“I thought it was great, and obviously the Rogue Invitational hosts great shows.
“It’s my first time competing at the Rogue Invitational and the feeling of the crowd and the whole competition is good.”
Bjornsson can beat Hooper, Stoltman if he hits pressing ‘peak’
Turning 36 next month, Thor took some time out of strongman, having won World’s Strongest Man in 2018.
With 2023 World’s Strongest Man Hooper, and three-time winner Tom Stoltman participating in Aberdeen, Bjornsson is determined to beat his younger rivals to be named Rogue Invitational men’s strongman champion.
He said: “I think I can win any competition once I’m fully back, and I truly believe I can win this show, as long as I peak in my pressing in the way I think I have.
“In most of my lifts, I’m equally as good, if not better (than before).
“It’s just my pressing that’s maybe a little behind my best.
“My best log lift for example was 215kilograms, I’m not quite there yet.
“My best axle (press) was 206(kg), I’m not quite there yet.
“But I’m getting there slowly but surely.”
The women’s deadlift event at P&J Live was topped by Great Britain’s Lucy Underdown, who pulled a huge 311kg.
The strongman/woman competitions in continued on Friday, first with a side-by-side grip and press event – American Thomas Evans winning the men’s event in 37.01 and Inez Carrasquillo the only woman to manage the target three reps of log press.
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