After a thrilling, competitive Qualifying Round of the 2022 World’s Strongest Man (WSM), there are 10 athletes left standing.
Entering Thursday, May 26, 2022, some of the respective top contenders, like defending champion Tom Stoltman and former WSM Champion Oleksii Novikov (2020), already had a spot in the Finals. The debut of the Wrecking Ball Hold and the intense Stone Off would determine the other half of the remaining field on Day Three.
Here’s where the overall leaderboard stands after the conclusion of the Qualifying Round, a short recap of Thursday’s events, and an overview of the 10 finalists for the 2022 WSM Finals this weekend.
2022 WSM Leaderboard — Day Three/End of Qualifying
Rank
Name
Points
Group 1
1
Tom Stoltman — United Kingdom
25
2
Kevin Faires — USA
24
3
Gabriel Rheaume — Canada
20
4
Aivars Smaukstelis — Latvia
15
5
Andy Black — United Kingdom
12
6
Manuel Angulo — Chile
6
Group 2
1
Mitchell Hooper — Canada
23.5
2
Bobby Thompson — USA
22
3
Brian Shaw — USA
17.5
4
Mark Felix — Canada
15
5
Konstantine Janashia — Georgia
13
6
Gabriel Pena — Mexico
13
Group 3
1
Oleksii Novikov — Ukraine
24.5
2
Trey Mitchell — USA
21.5
3
Adam Bishop — United Kingdom
18
4
Rob Kearney — USA
15
5
Grzegorz Szymanski — Poland
13
6
Mika Törrö — Finland
13
Group 4
1
Martins Licis — USA
25.5
2
Maxime Boudreault — Canada
23
3
Pavlo Kordiyaka — Ukraine
21.5
4
Gavin Bilton — United Kingdom
17
5
Nedžmin Ambešković — Bosnia and Herzegovina
9
6
Shane Flowers — United Kingdom (withdrawn)
6
Group 5
1
Luke Stoltman — United Kingdom
23
2
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — Iceland
20
3
Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — France
18
4
Kelvin De Ruiter — Netherlands
116.5
5
Evan Singleton — USA
14.5
6
Kim Ujarak Lorentzen — Greenland
11
2022 WSM Day Three Results
As noted, some of the competitors entered the third day of the competition already having locked up a spot in the Finals. That meant Day Three’s events were more about the rest of the field trying to find points to secure their spots. The Wrecking Ball Hold and Stone Off stood in their way.
Wrecking Ball Hold
This static strength event made its first appearance in a WSM competition. It’s a test of grip strength, as well as total-body endurance. The athletes had to hold a 228-kilogram (500-pound) bare wrecking ball for as long as they could.
Group 1
Kevin Faires — 1:35.18s
Andy Black — 1:26.92s
Gabriel Rhéaume — 1:24.10s
Manuel Angulo — 1:11.66s
Aivars Šmaukstelis — 0:57.44s
Tom Stoltman — 0:04.63s
Group 2
Mark Felix — 2:20.49s
Bobby Thompson — 1:21.33s
Brian Shaw — 1:06.13s
Konstantine Janashia — 1:01.38s
Gabriel Peña — 0:48.27s
Mitchell Hooper — 0:06.40s
Group 3
Trey Mitchell — 2:06.46s
Mika Törrö — 1:53.17s
Grzegorz Szymanski — 1:46.49s
Oleksii Novikov — 1:38.63s
Adam Bishop — 1:31.35s
Rob Kearney — 1:01.95s
Group 4
Maxime Boudreault — 1:33.93s
Pavlo Kordiyaka — 1:31.33s
Martins Licis — 1:25.63s
Nedžmin Ambešković — 1:12.47s
Gavin Bilton — 1:07.15s
Shane Flowers — Withdrawn
Group 5
Kelvin De Ruiter — 1:45.65s
Evan Singleton — 1:40.34s
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 1:03.42s
Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — 1:00.70s
Kim Ujarak — 0:36.24s
Luke Stoltman — No time completed
Notably, Mark Felix set a world record when he held the ball for 2:20.49. Trey Mitchell pitched in a more-than-solid 2:06.46.
Stone Off
In their last chance to clinch a spot in the Finals, the competitors went head-to-head with someone from their Qualifying Group in the Stone Off. They lifted six stones — 150 kilograms (330 pounds), two stones at 160 kilograms (353 pounds), two stones at 180 kilograms (397 pounds), and ended with 200 kilograms (440 pounds). To complete the challenge, the last stone was lifted for as many reps as possible until one competitor failed.
One of the more unique situations entering the Stone Off was Brian Shaw, who needed to win in order to qualify for a record-setting 14th WSM Finals and reach for a record-setting fifth title. Shaw ended up defeating Bobby Thompson and moved forward to potential history. Gabriel Rheaume, Maxime Boudreault, Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted, and Mitchell rounded out the other winners who qualified for the Finals thanks to their Stone Off performance.
Group 1
Kevin Faires
Gabriel Rheaume — Winner
Group 2
Bobby Thompson
Brian Shaw — Winner
Group 3
Trey Mitchell — Winner
Adam Bishop
Group 4
Maxime Boudreault — Winner
Pavlo Kordiyaka
Group 5
Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted – Winner
Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf
The Finals Lie Ahead
Now that the Qualifying Round is over, the complete list of finalists for the 2022 WSM is: 2021 WSM Champion Tom Stoltman, 2020 WSM Champion Oleksii Novikov, 2019 WSM champion Martins Licis, four-time WSM champion Brian Shaw (2011, 2013, 2015-2016), Maxime Boudreault, Mitchell Hooper, Trey Mitchell, Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted, Gabriel Rheaume, and Luke Stoltman.
Friday will present a good break for the competitors before starting the latter half of the competition. The first round of the Finals will take place on Saturday, May 28, 2022. It features the KNAACK Giant’s Medley, which is similar to the Loading Race, the Deadlift, and the Flintstone barbell, where the athletes will press a barbell loaded with giant stones.
Soon enough, the strongest man on the planet will be crowned.
Featured image: Joe Martinez/World’s Strongest Man