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The 2022 Arnold Classic Strongman was held between September 23-24 in Marston Green as part of the Arnold Sports Festival in Birmingham, England. Fourteen of the world's leading strongmen went through six grueling tests of strength and athleticism.
This year witnessed a titanic clash, with the elder statesmen of the sport, such as Zydrunas Savickas and Konstantine Janashia going up against young stalwarts such as Mitchell Hooper and Oleksii Novikov.
Who Competed at Arnold Classic Strongman 2022?
Let us take a look at the athletes who competed this year:
1) Zydrunas Savickas (Lithuania)
Zydrunas Savickas, also known as 'Big Z', is considered by many to be the greatest strength athlete of all time. Having won four World Strongest Man and an astounding eight Arnold Classic Strongman titles, Savichaks came into the competition at the twilight of his career and finished a lowly 11th with 33.5 points.
2) Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
The Ukrainian phenom took over the strongman world by storm, winning the 2020 World's Strongest Man with an unparalleled display of athleticism and strength.
Having actively served in the Russia-Ukraine War, Novikov has hit a rough patch of late, unable to clinch the top position. He finished second with 71 points.
3) Rauno Heinla (Estonia)
The Estonian Strongman is the Master's Deadlift Record holder at 476 kg. Widely regarded as one of the leading contenders capable of beating Hafthor Bjornsson's 501 kg record, Rauno has become a fan favorite for his funfilled nature and unique warm-up techniques.
He finished third with 61.5 points.
4) Konstantine Janashia (Georgia)
Once the record holder for the 400 kg Deadlift For Reps, Janashia is famous for his imposing stature and inhuman traps - rightly earning him the name "The Georgian Bull".
Janashia came in seventh with 43 points.
5) Mitchell Hooper (Canada)
One of the most exciting newcomers to the sport, Mitchell 'The Moose' Cooper was another athlete to look out for. With his incredible static strength combined with explosive athleticism, he won this year's Arnold Classic Strongman title with 79.5 points.
6) Paul Smith (United Kingdom)
Standing at a measly 5'11" and weighing 300 lbs, Smith showed immense heart to win the UK's Strongest Man Title in 2022. A quiet and unassuming personality, he was the dark horse for the title but eventually finished sixth with 44.5 points.
7) Pa O'Dwyer (Ireland)
Also known as 'The Limerick Lion', Pa O'Dwyer represented Irish strength at this year's Arnold Strongman Classic. A fun character with a specialty in log press, Pa is a rising star in the sport. He finished fourth with 54 points.
8) Gavin Bilton (UK)
The 'Welsh Bull' as he is affectionately called, Gavin Bilton is one of the strongmen of old - with his glorious powerbelly and bicycle moustache. He finished fifth with 47 points.
Some young faces also starred in this season's competition. Let's find out how they fared:
Ervin Toots (Estonia) - finished 12th (31.5 points)
Kim Ujarak Lorentzen (Greenland) - finished 8th (37.5 points)
Ben Williams (UK) - finished 13th (27 points)
Ryan Bennett (UK) - finished 9th (36.5 points)
Zake Muluzi (UK) - finished 14th (23.5 points)
Louis Jack (UK) - finished 10th (33.5 points)
Notable Absentees
Some notable absentees in this year's Arnold Classic Strongman were the beloved Stoltman Brothers and the defending 2021 Arnold Classic Strongman UK Champion, Evan Singleton. Recovering from a torn bicep, Singleton is planning to undergo a bicep reattachment surgery soon.
