RAISING THE BAR
When is World’s Strongest Man 2024? Date, schedule, TV info and how to watch massive Myrtle Beach event
Plus how Mitchell Hooper became the World's Strongest Man
THE WORLD'S Strongest Man is taking place in Myrtle Beach THIS weekend.
Canadian Mitchell Hooper is back in the mix as he looks to defend the title he won last year.
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While British star Tom Stoltman - who finished second in 2023 - is gunning for his third WSM title.
Scottish sensation Tom, 29, won in 2021 and 2022, and his older brother Luke, 39, will also be competing in South Carolina after powering to victory in the European Strongest Man in April 2024.
Thirty strongmen start the tournament at the qualifying stage before the tournament is cut down to ten for finals weekend.
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When is the World's Strongest Man 2024?
The World's Strongest Man 2024 takes place from May 1 to May 5.
It will be held across FIVE days with one rest day in between.
The winner will be crowned from 4pm ET on Sunday, May 5.
World's Strongest Man 2024 full schedule
Wednesday, May 1 (Day 1) - times in ET
9am - Qualifying Event 1 (Webster Stones)
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1pm - Qualifying Event 2 (Deadlift Ladder)
4pm - Qualifying Event 3 (Sandbag Steeplechase)
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Thursday, May 2 (Day 2)
9am - Qualifying Event 4 (Globe Viking Press)
1pm - Qualifying Event 5 (Car Walk)
5pm - Qualifying Event 6 (Stone Off)
How does World's Strongest Man work?
THIRTY of the strongest men in the world will compete for this year's title in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The athletes are divided into five groups of six in the qualifying stage on May 1 and 2.
The top two in each of the five groups will make it through to the 10-man final on May 4 and 5.
There are 17 events in all during the competition, ranging from deadlifts and squat lifts to pulling buses and lifting cars.
Mitchell Hooper from Canada won last year's event with 53.5 points from the six events in the finals.
The United Kingdom's Tom Stoltman came second on 49 points with Ukraine's Oleksii Novikov third on 41.
Friday, May 3 (rest day)
No events
Saturday, May 4 (Day 3)
10am - Finals Event 1 (KNAACK Giants Medley)
11am - KNAACK “Tools of a Strongman” Award
11.30am - Finals Event 2 (Max Axle Press)
3pm - Finals Event 3 (Keg Toss)
Sunday, May 5 (final day)
10am - Finals Event 4 (Reign Total Body Fuel’s Conan’s Wheel)
12pm - Finals Event 5 (BFGoodrich Tires HD Terrain Deadlift)
2.30pm Jimmy Pollock Award
3pm - Finals Event 6 (Atlas Stones)
4pm - 2024 SBD World’s Strongest Man Award Ceremony
How Mitchell Hooper became the World's Strongest Man
By Anthony Wood
REIGNING World's Strongest Man Champion Mitchell Hooper is something of an athletic jack of all trades.
The 27-year-old Canadian, nicknamed The Moose, won his first WSM title in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina this April at just his second attempt.
But Strongman hasn't always been the sport of choice for Hooper.
Formerly a football player for the University of Guelph, weighing 110kg at the time per his Instagram, the Ontario native went on to try his hand at bodybuilding at 90kg (198.4pounds), according to his website.
Hooper then transitioned to a marathon runner, recording a personal best of 3:24 while weighing 100kg (220.5pounds).
During this time he was working as the head strength and conditioning coach for the professional Canadian basketball team the KW Titans.
A career change followed as Hooper headed down under to study for a Master's in Exercise Physiology in Sydney, Australia after he realized he "wanted something a bit more from life."
It was here that he began his journey into strength sports, first as a powerlifter which caused his weight to rise again, this time to 115kg (253.5pounds).
Currently weighing in at 140kg (308.6pounds), as per Giants Live, Hooper has become a dominant force in the sport.
How can I watch the World's Strongest Man 2024?
There will not be any live television coverage of the World’s Strongest Man competition, but we'll be bringing you a live blog with all the action from the final day in Myrtle Beach.
To let US fans catch up on the action, highlights will be shown throughout the summer on CBS and CBS Sports Network.
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In the UK, the show will air across the festive period in December on Channel 5.
For access to more, unique behind-the-scenes information, follow the competition on the World’s Strongest Man social media channels.
World's Strongest Man winners
THE first World's Strongest Man competition was held in 1977.
It took place at the Universal Studios, California, with Bruce Wilhelm taking the title.
Since then it's become a much-loved annual event, held every year except 1987.
In that year Pure Strength was held instead, which was not part of the WSM franchise.
The event, held in Scotland, saw Jón Páll Sigmarsson triumph over Geoff Capes and Bill Kazmaier.
Here;s a rundown of the WSM winners:
- Mitchell Hooper - 2023 (Canada)
- Tom Stoltman - 2022 (UK)
- Tom Stoltman - 2021 (UK)
- Oleksii Novikov - 2020 (Ukraine)
- Martins Licis - 2019 (US)
- Hafthor Julius Bjornsson - 2018 (Iceland)
- Eddie Hall - 2017 (UK)
- Brian Shaw - 2016 (US)
- Brian Shaw - 2015 (US)
- Zydrunas Savickas - 2014 (Lithuania)
- Brian Shaw - 2013 (US)
- Zydrunas Savickas - 2012 (Lithuania)
- Brian Shaw - 2011 (US)
- Zydrunas Savickas - 2010 (Lithuania)
- Zydrunas Savickas - 2009 (Lithuania)
- Mariusz Pudzianowski - 2008 (Poland)
- Mariusz Pudzianowski - 2007 (Poland)
- Phil Pfister - 2006 (US)
- Mariusz Pudzianowski - 2005 (Poland)
- Vasyl Virastyuk - 2004 (Ukraine)
- Mariusz Pudzianowski - 2003 (Poland)
- Mariusz Pudzianowski - 2002 (Poland)
- Svend Karlsen - 2001 (Norway)
- Janne Virtanen - 2000 (Finland)
- Jouko Ahola - 1999 (Finland)
- Magnus Samuelsson - 1998 (Sweden)
- Jouko Ahola - 1997 (Finland)
- Magnus Ver Magnusson - 1996 (Iceland)
- Magnus Ver Magnusson - 1995 (Iceland)
- Magnus Ver Magnusson - 1994 (Iceland)
- Gary Taylor - 1993 (UK)
- Ted van der Parre - 1992 (Netherlands)
- Magnus Ver Magnusson - 1991 (Iceland)
- Jon Pall Sigmarsson - 1990 (Iceland)
- Jamie Reeves - 1989 (UK)
- Jon Pall Sigmarsson - 1988 (Iceland)
- NOT HELD - 1987
- Jon Pall Sigmarsson - 1986 (Iceland)
- Geoff Capes - 1985 (UK)
- Jon Pall Sigmarsson - 1984 (Iceland)
- Geoff Capes - 1983 (UK)
- Bill Kazmaier - 1982 (US)
- Bill Kazmaier - 1981 (US)
- Bill Kazmaier - 1980 (US)
- Don Reinhoudt - 1979 (US)
- Bruce Wilhelm - 1978 (US)
- Bruce Wilhelm - 1977 (US)