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The 2022 Rogue Invitational will take place across three days from October 28 - 30, 2022, at the Dell Diamond Stadium in greater Austin, Texas.
The Strongman competition, which made a successful debut last year, will return this year with a formidable lineup. An updated roster has been released by Rogue, and features ten of the best strongman athletes in the sport.
2022 Rogue Invitational Strongman - Updated Roster
Here are the list of strong men:
1) Martins Licis
The Latvian strongman, famed for his static strength and explosive speed will be the clear favorite to win the event.
Having won the 2019 World's Strongest Man, the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic, and the 2021 Rogue Invitational Strongman Championships, Martins has proven his potential multiple times. He is one of only four strongmen in history (after Zydrunas Savickas, Brian Shaw and Hafthor Julius Bjornsson) to win both the World's Strongest Man and Arnold Strongman Classic competitions.
A firm fan favorite, Licis is much loved for his funny antics and friendly nature. Having taken almost six months off the sport for revocery, He has gone through a variety of treatments, including stem cell therapy. A popular strongman YouTuber, Martins regularly shares training and life updates on his channel.
2) Mitchell Hooper
Coming fresh off a dominant victory at the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic, Mitchell "The Moose" Hooper is also competing at the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals on October 8.
Skilled in both static strength and events that necessitate movement, Hooper is expected to finish among the top three, and possibly even the coveted first place. You can stay updated with his training techniques on his YouTube Channel here.
3) Oleksii Novikov
Having finished second at the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic behind Mitchell Cooper, the Ukrainian phenom will be looking to make amends.
Possibly the strongest pound-for-pound athlete on the field, the 6'1" 300 lb Novikov will look to perform well at the Rogue Invitational, having finished third last year. A solid deadlifter and fast mover with unending stamina, the strongman may very well take the event.
The 2020 World's Strongest Man also actively served in the Russia-Ukraine war.
4) Rob Kearney
The 5'10" 300 lb American athlete, who calls himself "The World's Strongest Gay," lives near Springfield, Massachusetts with his husband Joey.
Having finished sixth at the 2021 Rogue Invitational, Kearney has been putting in diligent work in the gym, and will hope for a podium position at the 2022 Rogue Invitational. A skilled overhead athlete, Kearney is also adept at moving events.
5) Trey Mitchell
Charles “Trey” Mitchell, affectionately called “Big Tex”, is a 6’ 4” (1.93m), 155kg (342lb) professional strongman from Lumberton, Texas.
Known as one of the best stone lifters in the sport, Mitchell finished fourth at the 2021 World's Strongest Man.
6) Pavlo Nakonechnyy
The 6'4", 170 kg Ukrainian giant will look to reassert his position as a strong contender for the 2023 WSM title by winning the Rogue Invitational.
Renowned for his phenomenal deadlift strength and amazing speed, Nakonechnny has the potential to top the podium and dominate the competition. He worked as a volunteer, delivering humanitarian aid during the war in Ukraine.
7) Maxime Boudreault
Born in north-eastern Ontario, Canada’s Maxime Boudreault is a professional strongman who quickly rose from relative obscurity to reach the podium at the 2021 World’s Strongest Man.
The 6’ 4” 330lb strongman is renowned for his overhead pressing and agility. Also a personal trainer and gym owner, Maxime Boudreault will be the dark horse at the Rogue Invitational.
He had also won Magnús Ver Magnússon Strongman Classic 2021. He regularly posts training updates on his YouTube channel.
8) Bobby Thompson
Nicknamed "The American Nightmare," Bobby Thompson is among the best log lifters in the world.
The 6'1" 355 lb athlete is the current American Log Lift holder at 478.5 pounds.
9) Kevin Faires
Kevin Faires, an expert at moving events, is coming off a strong performance at the 2022 Shaw Classic.
An expert at grip and moving events, Faires set a new world record at the Nicol Stones during the 2021 Giants Live World Tour Finals, moving them across 22.2 meters.
10) Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted
Hailing from Iceland, Melsted represents centuries of Icelandic strongman legacy. At 1.85m (6’ 1”) in height and 142kg (313lbs) in bodyweight,
The strongman is one of the smaller athletes competing at the Rogue Invitational. Having won the Iceland's Strongest Man in 2020 and 2021, he will look for a top-five place.
Who is your favorite pick to win the 2022 Rogue Invitational Strongman ? Let us know below in the comments.
