Hafthor Bjornsson has been one of the most historically decorated strength athletes for a while. He set the benchmark not only with his participation in strongman sports but also by playing the character of ‘The Mountain’ in the hit series Game of Thrones. As a result, the 6’9 strongman has made quite a name for himself in the industry. However, he recently made waves with a surprising announcement of his return.
Since Bjornsson plans on returning to strength sports once again, he is now neck-deep in preparations for the Arnold Classic 2024. This means a whole series of lifting, benching, pulling weights, and potentially setting new records. The strongman took to Instagram to share his progress.
“400kg/881lbs Deadlift on the elephant bar. First time using it since 2020.”
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While 881 lbs is already a lot, Bjornsson plans on a level-up soon. Since he has broken records before, the Icelandic athlete plans on doing something similar in the upcoming year.
“2018 I broke the record and pulled 1,041lbs. 2019 I broke it again and pulled 1,046lbs.“
The upcoming Arnold Classic will potentially witness Bjornsson at his best, establishing a new record. While he left fans wondering what his future goal is, there is no denying that the beast won’t go without a fight.
“What will I pull in 12 weeks at Arnold Strongman Classic?”
Merely weeks away, the Arnold Strongman Classic will have 2023 World’s Strongest Man title-holder Mitchell Hooper make an appearance as well. Bjornsson has since initiated a friendly banter with the Canadian strongman icon, challenging him to battle it out.
Mitchell Hooper vs. Hafthor Bjornsson: A battle between the Moose and the Mountain
Last year, Mitchell Hooper won the title of the World’s Strongest Man and showcased some incredible strength. Fans have their bets on the icon ever since his display of strength all over social media reached them. But now, Hooper will have to go head-to-head against one of the elites.
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Bjornsson recently challenged the Canadian kinesiologist-turned-strongman to up his game and get ready. With the Icelandic beast returning to the arena, Hooper will not only have to beat the current strongman lineup but also power through against ‘The Mountain’ himself. Will the old champion return to bag the title? Or will the new icon emerge as the winner of the trophy? Only time will tell.