Mitchell Hooper stunned everyone at the Arnold Strongman Classic UK with two successful events. Day 1 saw the athletes participate in the Austrian Oak and the Timber Carry. While the Canadian tied with rookie Lucas Hatton in the first event, he registered an easy win in the second event, thus leading day 1.
The Timber Carry consists of a heavy-duty timber crate full of weights, usually weighing about 400 lbs per side for men. The goal for athletes is to perform as many 50-foot laps as possible within a minute. The event saw some jaw-dropping performances, with at least five participants completing an entire lap before adding extra feet to their record.
Before the Canadian smoked his fellow participants, Icelandic strongman Hafthor Bjornsson led the roster with the most length traveled. He completed a lap and added 44 feet more to it. Hooper had to finish two laps to secure a win, and he did so with ease.
Within the time frame of a minute, Hooper managed to finish one lap with 30 seconds to spare. He then dropped the frame twice to chalk up and secure his grip. The audience was in awe of the Canadian’s speed, but he believed that if pushed to limits, anything was possible.
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“You are capable of ten times more than you think you are.”
Apart from his impressive performance that put him on top of the leaderboard for the day, supporters of the ‘American Nightmare’ Bobby Thompson have shown up in large numbers. The strongman veteran’s eye-popping strength at the Timber Carry, where he almost matched up to Bjornsson’s record, got many enthusiasts rooting for his epic return.
Mitchell Hooper faces serious competition from debuting rookie Lucas Hatton
While veterans were amazed by his strength and techniques, Mitchell Hooper doesn’t seem invincible after all. America’s 2023 Strongest Man, Lucas Hatton, could be the next promising candidate if he plays it right at the 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic UK.
The first round of the championship saw both participants go head-to-head at the Austrian Oak event. While Hatton had a lot of pressure with his debut at the competition and going first in line, he managed three easy reps that the Canadian ‘Moose’ managed to match. Therefore, Hatton’s participation could potentially bring about a change in an otherwise predictable show.
