Mitchell Hooper is the champion of the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) UK. During the contest on Sept 23-24, 2022, the Canadian strongman successfully captured the first major pro title of his strength career. Hooper is the only second-ever winner of the competition. Evan Singleton won the inaugural edition in 2021.
Joining Hooper on the podium in Birmingham, England, were former 2020 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Oleksii Novikov and Rauno Heinla in second and third place, respectively. It is Novikov’s 16th finish in the top three in 18 contests since September 2020. Meanwhile, Heinla takes home a top-three result for the first time since the 2022 Força Bruta in February.
Here are the final standings from this year’s Arnold Strongman Classic UK:
2022 Arnold Strongman Classic UK Results
- Mitchell Hooper— 79.5 points
- Oleksii Novikov — 71 points
- Rauno Heinla — 61.5 points
- Pa O’Dwyer — 55 points
- Gavin Bilton — 47 points
- Paul Smith — 44.5 points
- Konstantine Janashia — 43 points
- Kim Ujarak — 37 points
- Ryan Bennett — 36.5 points
- Žydrūnas Savickas— 33.5 points
- Louis Jack — 33.5 points
- Ervin Toots — 31.5 points
- Ben Williams — 27 points
- Zake Muluzi — 23.5 points
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Event Breakdown
Here’s a succinct event-by-event breakdown of the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic UK.
Deadlift
The deadlift for this contest was for reps. The athletes had to pull 370 kilograms (815 pounds) as many times as possible within 75 seconds. The newly-crowned 2022 World Deadlift Champion, Heinla, won this event by locking out a successful eight reps. Hooper (six reps) and Novikov (five reps) followed behind their Estonian peer.
- Rauno Heinla — Eight reps
- Mitchell Hooper — Six reps
- Oleksii Novikov — Five reps
- Kim Ujarak — Four reps
- Pa O’Dwyer — Four reps
- Gavin Bilton — Four reps
- Ben Williams — Three reps
- Paul Smith — Three reps
- Konstantine Janashia — Three reps
- Ryan Bennett — Two reps
- Louis Jack — One rep
- Žydrūnas Savickas — One rep
- Ervin Toots — One rep
- Zake Muluzi — One rep
Bag Over Bar
During this event, the respective competitors had to toss five bags with weights ranging from 20 to 28 kilograms (44 to 61.7 pounds) over a bar with a height of four meters (13.1 feet). The athlete with the fastest time for their throws would come out on top.
A resounding performance from Gavin Bilton, where he tossed all five bags in just over 17 seconds, gave him the Bag Over Bar victory. Hooper (five bags in 18.15 seconds) and Novikov (five bags in 18.35 seconds) followed just behind again.
- Gavin Bilton — Five in 17.21 seconds
- Mitchell Hooper — Five in 18.15 seconds
- Oleksii Novikov — Five in 18.35 seconds
- Rauno Heinla — Five in 18.38 seconds
- Pa O’Dwyer — Five in 18.79 seconds
- Konstantine Janashia — Five in 19.27 seconds
- Kim Ujarak — Five in 19.76 seconds
- Ervin Toots — Five in 21.47 seconds
- Louis Jack — Five in 24.78 seconds
- Ryan Bennett — Five in 26.53 seconds
- Zake Muluzi — Five in 47.84 seconds
- Paul Smith — Five in 33.81 seconds
- Žydrūnas Savickas — Five in 37.90 seconds
- Ben Williams — Five in 47.84 seconds
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Arnold Stone Carry
The Arnold Stone Carry tasked the athletes with picking up and carrying two unevenly weighted stones of 136 kilograms (300 pounds) and 164 kilograms (361.5 pounds) for 15 meters (49.2 feet). Whoever had the farthest distance and fastest time (in the event of a distance tie) would win.
Hooper logged his first event win of the 2022 ASC UK by taking his stones down the course in 34.01 seconds. Notably, Hooper was the only competitor to cover the entire distance with his carry.
- Mitchell Hooper — 34.02 seconds
- Žydrūnas Savickas — 14.14 meters
- Zake Muluzi — 10.77 meters
- Rauno Heinla — 6.19 meters
- Oleksii Novikov — 5.32 meters
- Pa O’Dwyer — 5.10 meters
- Ervin Toots — 4.98 meters
- Ryan Bennett — 4.88 meters
- Gavin Bilton — 4.81 meters
- Paul Smith — 4.45 meters
- Konstantine Janashia — 4.27 meters
- Louis Jack — 3.68 meters
- Kim Ujarak — 3.2 meters
- Ben Williams — 1.90 meters
Super Yoke
A strongman staple, the competitors at the 2022 ASC UK carried a 500-kilogram (1,102-pound) yoke 10 meters (32.8 feet) as fast as possible. Hooper won a second straight event, blitzing this segment by taking his yoke the full length in 5.70 seconds. Novikov (8.42 seconds) and Paul Smith (11.09 seconds) tailed behind Hooper.
- Mitchell Hooper — 5.70 seconds
- Oleksii Novikov — 8.42 seconds
- Paul Smith — 11.09 seconds
- Konstantine Janashia — 12.50 seconds
- Žydrūnas Savickas — 14.01 second
- Rauno Heinla — 14.82 seconds
- Ryan Bennett — 18.84 seconds
- Pa O’Dwyer — 21.84 seconds
- Ben Williams — 22.29 seconds
- Gavin Bilton — 25.26 seconds
- Zake Muluzi — 32.07 seconds
- Louis Jack — 34.58 seconds
- Ervin Toots — 46.91 seconds
- Kim Ujarak — 3.85 meters
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Dumbbell Press
This competition’s dumbbell press was for reps. The eventual victor would be the athlete who could lock out the most reps with a 100-kilogram (220-pound) dumbbell. The event seemed to play right into Novikov’s hands, who finished an impressive eight reps for the win. Though, Hooper and Smith (seven each) nipped on Novikov’s heels with quality performances.
- Oleksii Novikov — Eight reps
- Mitchell Hooper — Seven reps
- Paul Smith — Seven reps
- Pa O’Dwyer — Six reps
- Ben Williams — Five reps
- Gavin Bilton — Four reps
- Rauno Heinla — Three reps
- Ryan Bennett — Three reps
- Kim Ujarak — Two reps
- Ervin Toots — Two reps
- Louis Jack — Two reps
- Konstantine Janashia — Zero reps
- Žydrūnas Savickas — Zero reps
- Zake Muluzi — Zero reps
Atlas Stones
Is it even a pro strongman contest if it doesn’t close with Atlas Stones? The five stones weighed from 120 to 200 kilograms (264.5 to 440 pounds). The winner is whoever can lift each stone to its podium the quickest.
Louis Jack won the event when he lifted all five stones in 23.91 seconds. However, a second-place result for Hooper (five stones in 25.74 seconds) was enough to cement his overall victory as the 2022 ASC UK.
- Louis Jack — 23.91 seconds
- Mitchell Hooper — 25.74 seconds
- Konstantine Janashia — 29.71 seconds
- Kim Ujurak — 31.38 seconds
- Oleksii Novikov — 31.98 seconds
- Rauno Heinla — Four in 19.21 seconds
- Pa O’Dwyer — Four in 19.85 seconds
- Ervin Toots — Four in 21.02 seconds
- Žydrūnas Savickas — Four in 21.34 seconds
- Paul Smith — Four in 22.4 seconds
- Ryan Bennett — Four in 32.09 seconds
- Gavin Bilton — Four in 34.09 seconds
- Ben Williams — Three in 14.15 seconds
- Zake Muluzi – Three in 16.59 seconds
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In a post on his Instagram, Hooper wrote that winning his first professional title “will take a minute to sink in.” However, as a young and ascending star, Hooper won’t have too much time to reflect on this victory.
Hooper and many of the competitors from this contest will square off in the upcoming 2022 Rogue Invitational on Oct. 28-30 at the Dell Diamond Stadium in Austin, TX.
Featured image: @mitchellhooper on Instagram
