The Apollon Wheels round witnessed some exciting performances by the participants. While top-scoring strongmen like Evan Singleton and Hafthor Bjornsson saw disappointments in this event, Mitchell Hooper surprised the arena with his strength, winning the event.
Narrowly beating both Polish strongman Mateusz Kieliszkowski and British strongman Tom Stoltman, who each scored four reps on the 400-pound apparatus (bar), Hooper performed five easy reps, leaving the arena in a frenzy. While other participants struggled to get in a single repetition, the Canadian made sure to flaunt his strength.
On the other side, Evan Singleton came in strong with a lot of cheer and hype but failed to lift the apparatus properly. Fans were also disappointed by Bjornsson’s attempt, which, although it started off promising, ended with him scoring two reps.
Veterans like Martins Licis and Bobby Thompson also ended the event with some disappointment. They could only score a single rep each. Many even remarked on how sad it was to see veterans like Licis fail at the last few events, although it did pave the way for newer champions to shine.
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Hooper’s success at this event not only drew more hype to his overall performance but also got several fans rooting for another title. His spectacular performance at the Apollon Wheels has set a new record for how easily one could pick up and work with 400 lbs. And while the crowd cheered for every participant, one couldn’t beat the Canadian’s charm on stage.
As they marked an end to the penultimate event, the athletes’ rankings have shuffled through the roster. Meanwhile, living up to his promise made in the previous event, he declared in the end:
“We’re closing that strong!”
Mitchell Hooper scores a win at the Dinnie Stone Carry
Day 2’s first event was the Dinnie Stone Carry, where participants were supposed to lift 319 pounds and one 415 lbs stones. Amidst a lot of disappointing performances by other strongman icons, Hooper managed to get through with an impressive performance.
Out of all the contestants, only five of them could get their stones past 30 feet. These included Hooper, Bjornsson, Singleton, Mateusz Kieliszkowski, and Tom Stoltman. These contestants are also dominating the rankings so far, with the Canadian leading the roster after an impressive 41 ft. 4 inches. Now with the final event, one can finally witness the winner of the Arnold Strongman Classic 2024.
