Who is the strongest man in the world? Top 20 as of 2024

Who is the strongest man in the world? Top 20 as of 2024

Helix Odhiambo, Adrianna Simwa
updated at February 14, 2024 at 11:56 AM

The strongman sport involves a series of events designed to test the limits of human strength, including lifting massive weights, pulling vehicles, and carrying heavy objects over great distances. The athletes who participate in these events are some of the strongest men in the world, and their physical prowess and mental toughness have earned them the respect and admiration of fans around the globe. Who is the strongest man in the world?

Strongest man in the world
Photo: canva.com (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The most muscular men have come from competitions, including the World's Strongest Man (WSM), powerlifting, weightlifting, and wrestling. The WSM is an annual international event attracting some well-built men on earth. It began in 1977.

Who is the strongest man in the world?

Take a closer look at some of the strongest men in the world, exploring their accomplishments and more.

20. Andy Bolton

  • Full name: Andrew Bolton
  • Date of birth: 22 January 1970
  • Age: 54 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Dewsbury, Yorkshire
  • Nationality: British

Andy is a British powerlifter who hails from Dewsbury, Yorkshire. He is the first man to lift a 1000 lb. deadlift in a powerlifting competition. The Briton has also won three World Powerlifting championships (2000, 2001, 2008).

19. Mark Henry

who is the strongest man in the world
Powerlifter Mark Jerrold Henry attends the Arnold Sports Festival International Sports Hall Of Fame Class of 2015 in Columbus, Ohio. Photo: Dave Kotinsky
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Mark Jerrold Henry
  • Date of birth: 12 June 1971
  • Age: 53 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Silsbee, Texas
  • Nationality: American

Henry is an American powerlifter and retired professional wrestler known during his time in WWE. Mark Henry was one of the three-time champions of the U.S National Weightlifting in 1993, 1994 and 1996.

18. Leonid Taranenko

world strongest man
Leonid Taranenko in action to finish in second place to win the silver medal in the Men's super heavyweight weightlifting event at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Spain. Photo: Bob Thomas Sports
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Leonid Ivanovich Taranenko
  • Date of birth: 13 July 1956
  • Age: 67 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Minsk, Belarus
  • Nationality: Belarusian

Taranenko is known for lifting a truck with his bare hands and deadlifting over 500 pounds. He won several titles, including gold medals at the Olympic Games, World Weightlifting Champions, and European Weightlifting Championships.

17. Terry Hollands

strongest man alive
Terry Hollands of the United Kingdom competes at the Super Yoke event during the World's Strongest Man competition at Serenity Marina in Hainan Island, China. Photo: Victor Fraile
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Terry Hollands
  • Date of birth: 6 June 1979
  • Age: 44 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Dartford, United Kingdom
  • Nationality: British

Despite failing to win the World's Strongest Man (WSM) competition, the British athlete has one of the most prolonged consistency in the event. Hollands is the only WSM competitor to reach the finals in nine consecutive years.

16. Eddie Hall

strongest person in the world
Eddie Hall recently crowned the world's most muscular man, set a new World Record for the Silver Dollar Deadlift from 18Ó at Random House in London, England. Photo: John Phillips
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Edward Stephen Hall
  • Date of birth: 15 January 1988
  • Age: 36 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England
  • Nationality: British

Eddie Hall has set numerous records, including the most weight lifted in one session (1,041 pounds). Besides weight lifting, Eddie is also a professional actor. In 2015, he was awarded an honorary knighthood by the Queen.

15. Hafthor Bjornsson

who is the strongest man in the world
Hafthor Julius Bjornsson attends the 2015 Philadelphia Renaissance Faire in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Hafthor Julius Bjornsson
  • Date of birth: 26 November 1988
  • Age: 35 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Reykjavík, Iceland
  • Nationality: Icelandic

Hafthor Bjornsson, also known as Thor, is one of the strongest man alive and is widely considered one of the greatest strongman athletes of all time, having won numerous prestigious titles and set several world records.

He is best known for his success in the World's Strongest Man competition, which he won in 2018, becoming the first Icelandic athlete to win the title since 1996. He also won Europe's Strongest Man competition five times and the Arnold Strongman Classic four times.

14. Svend Karlsen

  • Full name: Svend Karlsen
  • Date of birth: 6 December 1967
  • Age: 56 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Oslo, Norway
  • Nationality: Norwegian

Svend Karlsen is well known for his catchphrase "Viking Power". He broke over 30 Norwegian powerlifting records to cement his legendary status. In 2001, he won the WSM competition and finished in the top 3 in 1999 and 2000.

13. Bruce Wilhelm

world strongest man
Bruce Wilhelm at the 1976 Summer Olympic Games aired on Walt Disney Television. Photo: ABC Photo Archives
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Bruce Wilhelm
  • Date of birth: 5 October 1945
  • Age: 78 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: San Francisco, California, United States
  • Nationality: American

Wilhelm is undoubtedly among the most energetic guys globally. During his career, Wilhelm won several prestigious strongman competitions, including the World's Strongest Man competition in 1977 and the National and World Muscle Power Championships multiple times.

He was known for his incredible strength and innovative training methods, which helped him develop the explosive power and speed that set him apart from many of his competitors.

12. Vasyl Virastyuk

  • Full name: Vasyl Virastyuk
  • Date of birth: 22 April 1974
  • Age: 49 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
  • Nationality: Ukrainian

Ukrainian Vasyl Virastyuk is the first athlete to claim the World's Strongest Man award and the International Federation of Strength Athletes (IFSA) title in the same year (2004). He is one of the most successful strongman athletes in the history of the sport, having won several prestigious titles throughout his career.

11. Magnus Samuelsson

  • Full name: Magnus Samuelsson
  • Date of birth: 21 December 1969
  • Age: 53 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Linköping, Sweden
  • Nationality: Swedish

The Swedish-born legend was known for his incredible arm strength. Samuelsson won the 1998 WSM competition and held the record for most appearances in the event (13). He followed in his mother's footsteps by winning the arm wrestling championship.

10. Jamie Reeves

strongest man in the world
A collage of Jamie Reeves' photos during a seminar and carrying a heavy rock. Photo: @TitaniumStrengthGym, @UltimateStrongman (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Jamie Reeves
  • Date of birth: 25 April 1968
  • Age: 55 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Stoke-on-Trent, England
  • Nationality: British

Jamie Reeves won the World's Strongest Man competition thrice in 1989 and made it to the podium. He was England's most energic man for nearly a decade in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Reeves is also known for his contributions to the sport of strongman as a coach and mentor. He has trained and coached many of the top strongman athletes in the world, including four-time World's Strongest Man champion Zydrunas Savickas.

9. Jouko Ahola

  • Full name: Jouko Ahola
  • Date of birth: 1 December 1970
  • Age: 53 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Hämeenlinna, Finland
  • Nationality: Finnish

Ahola is widely regarded as one of the greatest strongman athletes ever, having won the World's Strongest Man competition twice, in 1997 and 1999. He also won Europe's Strongest Man competition twice and Finland's Strongest Man competition eight times. He was known for his impressive strength, agility, and speed, which set him apart from many competitors.

8. Geoff Capes

who is the strongest man in the world
Geoff Capes throws during the Shot Putt competition at the British International Games at Crystal Palace, London, Great Britain. Photo: Tony Duffy
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Geoffrey Lewis Capes
  • Date of birth: 23 August 1949
  • Age: 74 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Holbeach, Lincolnshire, England
  • Nationality: British

British athlete Geoff Capes won two global titles in the mid-1980s, becoming one of the most successful English athletes. He also represented England and Great Britain in Shot Put events and won two Commonwealth titles, two European championships and three Olympic medals.

7. Martins Licis

strongest person in the world
Martins Licis attends Big Game Kick-Off Event, hosted by Jay Glazer, Merging Vets And Players, at Academy LA in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Vivien Killilea
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Martins Licis
  • Date of birth: 28 September 1990
  • Age: 33 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Riga, Latvia
  • Nationality: Latvian-American

Martins Licis is a professional strongman athlete from the United States. He was born in Latvia and later moved to the United States when he was a child. Licis has been competing in strongman competitions since 2014 and has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the top athletes in the sport.

Licis is known for his impressive strength and athleticism, as well as his outgoing personality and his entertaining social media presence. He is also a certified personal trainer and has a degree in economics from California State University, Fullerton.

6. Magnus Ver Magnusson

strongest man alive
M. Ver Magnusson World's strongest man contest in Orange, France. Photo: Antonio RIBEIRO
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Magnús Ver Magnússon
  • Date of birth: 23 April 1963
  • Age: 60 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Egilsstadir, Iceland
  • Nationality: Icelandic

Magnus Ver Magnusson is a retired Icelandic strongman and powerlifter. He is known for his incredible strength, technical proficiency, and mental toughness, often employing unique strategies to outperform his competitors in various strongman events.

Magnusson won numerous strongman competitions, including the World's Strongest Man competition four times (in 1991, 1994, 1995, and 1996) and Europe's Strongest Man competition three times. He also set multiple world records in events such as the log lift and the car deadlift.

5. Brian Shaw

  • Full name: Brian Shaw
  • Date of birth: 26 February 1982
  • Age: 42 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Fort Lupton, Colorado, United States
  • Nationality: American

Brian Shaw is an American athlete who has done amazing things an average human cannot do. He has four WSM titles (2011,2013, 2015, 2016). Shaw was also among the World's Strongest Man 2022 competitors, hoping to clinch his fifth accolade.

4. Patrik Baboumian

world strongest man
Vegan strongman Patrik Baboumian breaks a world record by carrying 555 kilos 10 metres on the West Jet stage at the Harbourfront Centre. Photo: David Cooper
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Patrik Baboumian
  • Date of birth: 1 July 1979
  • Age: 44 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Abadan, Iran
  • Nationality: German-Iranian

Baboumian is an Iranian-born, Armenian-German strongman and former bodybuilder. He holds the title of the Strongest Man of Germany and a world record for log lifts in the 105k category (165 kilograms). The 43-year-old is also one of the global champions of vegan food.

3. Bill Kazmaier

who is the strongest man in the world
Former World Strongest Man's champ and world record holder Bill Kazmaier attends Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio. Photo: Dave Kotinsky
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Bill Kazmaier
  • Date of birth: 30 December 1953
  • Age: 69 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Burlington, Wisconsin, United States
  • Nationality: American

Bill Kazmaier is a retired American strongman, powerlifter, and professional wrestler. He won numerous powerlifting and strongman competitions, including the World's Strongest Man competition three times (in 1980, 1981, and 1982) and the USPF National Powerlifting Championships seven times. He also set multiple world records in events such as the squat, bench press, and deadlift.

2. Mariusz Pudzianowski

strongest person in the world
Mariusz Pudzianowski attends the KSW 51 Media Day in Warsaw, Poland. Photo: Foto Olimpik
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Mariusz Zbigniew Pudzianowski
  • Date of birth: 7 February 1977
  • Age: 47 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Biała Rawska, Poland
  • Nationality: Polish

The Polish sensation has the World's Strongest Man titles (5) more than any other athlete. In addition, he has an incredible record of 42 wins out of 59. Pudzianowski was also inducted into the WSM Hall of fame.

1. Zydrunas Savickas

strongest man alive
Zydrunas Savickas of Lithuania competes at the Deadlift for Max event during the World's Strongest Man competition at Yalong Bay Cultural Square in Hainan Island, China. Photo: Victor Fraile
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Žydrūnas Savickas
  • Date of birth: 15 July 1975
  • Age: 48 years old (as of 2024)
  • Place of birth: Biržai, Lithuania
  • Nationality: Lithuanian

Žydrūnas Savickas, also known as Big Z, is a retired Lithuanian strongman and one of the most successful competitors in the sport's history.

Throughout his career, Savickas won numerous strongman competitions, including the World's Strongest Man competition four times (in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2014) and the Arnold Strongman Classic five times (in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2014). He also set numerous world records in events such as the log press, deadlift, and keg toss.

Who is the strongest person in the world?

Below is a summary list of the world's strongest men.

  1. Zydrunas Savickas
  2. Mariusz Pudzianowski
  3. Bill Kazmaier
  4. Patrik Baboumian
  5. Brian Shaw
  6. Magnus Ver Magnusson
  7. Martins Licis
  8. Geoff Capes
  9. Jouko Ahola
  10. Jamie Reeves
  11. Magnus Samuelsson
  12. Vasyl Virastyuk
  13. Bruce Wilhelm
  14. Svend Karlsen
  15. Hafthor Bjornsson
  16. Eddie Hall
  17. Terry Hollands
  18. Leonid Taranenko
  19. Mark Henry
  20. Andy Bolton

Who won World's Strongest Man in 2024?

Tom Stoltman is the current holder of the World's Strongest Man and Britain's Strongest Man. In 2020, he broke the world record for lifting five of the enormous concrete 100-180-kilogram (220-400 lb) balls in under 16.01 seconds.

The list of the strongest man in the world is endless, as there are many upcoming stars. The world's most muscular men are physically impressive and serve as a source of inspiration for those looking to push themselves to their limits. From weightlifting to strongman competitions, these athletes have proven that incredible feats of strength are possible with dedication and hard work.

READ ALSO: Top 15 hottest female sports reporters and anchors in 2023

Sportsbrief.com recently featured some of the hottest female sports reporters and anchors in 2024. Sports reporting has always been male-dominated, but over the past few years, more and more women have been breaking into the field and making a name for themselves.

Not only are they knowledgeable about sports, but they also bring a unique perspective and fresh energy to the job. In addition to their talent, many female sports reporters and anchors have also become known for their beauty, which has helped them gain a following among sports fans.

Authors
Helix Odhiambo photo
Helix Odhiambo
Helix Odhiambo is an award-winning Kenyan journalist and content creator with over 6 years of experience. In 2016, he won the Goal Blaze Correspondent Award for young writers.
Adrianna Simwa photo
Adrianna Simwa
Adrianna Simwa is a content writer at Sports Brief, where she has worked since mid-2022. She has written for many periodicals on a variety of subjects, including news, celebrities, and lifestyle, for more than three years.