The final event of the Arnold Strongman Classic UK marked the final test of the strength and endurance of the athletes. But the winner takes it all, and Mitchell Hooper was crowned the title winner.
This year, fans saw many twists and turns across all five events. They saw the emergence of the rookie Lucas Hatton, who made it among the veterans due to his incredible strength and skill. Athletes like Maxime Boudreault and Gavin Bilton pressed on despite sustaining injuries.
The last round was the super-rep deadlift. Competitors had to attempt multiple reps with a 771.6-pound bar within a minute. A surprising entry was Estonian strongman Rauno Heinla, who shocked the audience with a record total of 9 reps. But Icelandic strongman Hafthor Bjornsson smoked the record with 10 reps in total.
Both Hatton and Bobby Thompson tied at third place with 7 reps. Hooper had to cross that threshold to win the overall event. With great hype and cheers, he easily finished 8 reps to win the title.
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Hooper led the scoreboard with 34.5 points, closely followed by Bjornsson, who scored 32.5 points. The debuting star Lucas Hatton made it to third place with 24 points, winning everyone’s hearts.
Hooper was elated to have another feather added to his crown. With the Arnold Strongman Classic UK also in his bag, he admitted to having had a surreal few years.
“It’s unbelievable. Two years ago, no one knew my name.”
Bjornsson and Hooper shared a special moment when the latter won the title. To pay respects to the current title-holder and pass on the baton, the Icelandic athlete kneeled before Hooper, and raised his arm. This marked the Canadian’s ascent to success.
Mitchell Hooper smoked competitors on Day 1, getting an impressive lead
On Day 1, the Canadian strongman had already taken the lead on the scoreboard with his incredible performance at the event. Timber Carry has been one of his strengths that he mastered even at the Arnold Classic in Ohio. Therefore, fans weren’t surprised when they saw Hooper lead the event with all his strength and might.
Hooper carried 400 pounds per side and finished two laps to secure a win. Before him, the only athlete to successfully lead the round was Bjornsson, who fell a few meters short of completing two laps. He firmly believed that anything was possible if one pushed an athlete to his limits.
