Some of the final touches are being implemented with the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) just around the corner. The contest has officially added one of the globe’s more powerful Irishmen to its roster of stars.
On Apr. 3, 2023, the WSM organization’s Instagram page announced that Pa O’Dwyer was joining the 2023 competition’s roster. O’Dwyer does not appear to be replacing anyone. He is merely another confirmed addition in the aftermath of the 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM). The athlete might be best known for winning the 2018 UK’s Strongest Man. In 2020, O’Dwyer’s only other WSM appearance, he failed to advance to the Finals.
O’Dwyer’s confirmation comes on the heels of the announcement of overhead pressing phenom Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou making his WSM debut and the recent reveal of Thomas Evans and Kane Francis as reserves.
With O’Dwyer’s in the mix, here is where the 28-competitor 2023 WSM roster stands at the time of this article’s publication. If the contest is to follow recent precedent, two more athletes are expected to be added in the coming days to round out this field of 30 strongmen.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Roster
- Tom Stoltman (United Kingdom) — Defending two-time WSM champion
- Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine)
- Evan Singleton (United States)
- Mitchell Hooper (Canada)
- Trey Mitchell (United States)
- Adam Bishop (United Kingdom)
- Aivars Šmaukstelis (Latvia)
- Kevin Faires (United States)
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted (Iceland)
- Paul Smith (United Kingdom)
- Rauno Heinla (Estonia)
- Bobby Thompson (United States)
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski (Poland)
- Gavin Bilton (United Kingdom)
- Spenser Remick (United States)
- Eddie Williams (Australia)
- Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine)
- Konstantine Janashia (Georgia)
- Graham Hicks (United Kingdom)
- Luke Stoltman (United Kingdom)
- Mathew Ragg (New Zealand)
- Gabriel Rhéaume (Canada)
- Brian Shaw (United States)
- Jaco Schoonwinkel (South Africa)
- Mark Felix (Grenada)
- Fadi El Masri (Lebanon)
- Cheick Sanou (Burkina Faso)
- Pa O’Dwyer (Ireland)
- Thomas Evans (United States) | Reserve
- Kane Francis (United Kingdom) | Reserve
- *Maxime Boudreault (Canada) (qualified but withdrew due to shin injury)
The 2023 WSM will be the last competitive appearance of four-time champion (2011, 2013, 2015-2016) Brian Shaw. It will also be Mark Felix’s last appearance while marking his 18th berth in the competition since 2004.
According to the WSM Instagram page, the official groups for the 2023 competition’s Qualifying Round will be revealed on Tues, Apr. 18, 2023, just one day before the contest begins. While unconfirmed, it is likely there will be five groups of six strongmen per recent iterations of the WSM.
2023 World’s Strongest Man Events
Here are the events for 2023 WSM, taking place over five days, with a one-day break between the Qualifying Round and Final on Fri, Apr. 21, 2023:
Qualifying Stage — Wednesday, April 19
- Event One — Loading Race
- Event Two — Deadlift Machine
- Event Three — Log Ladder
Qualifying Stage — Thursday, April 20
- Event Four — Conan’s Wheel
- Event Five — Kettlebell Toss
- Event Six — Stone Off
Final — Saturday, April 22
- Event One — Fingal’s Fingers
- Event Two — KNAACK Deadlift
- Event Three — Reign Shield Carry
Final — Sunday, April 23
- Event Four — Max Dumbbell Press
- Event Five — Vehicle Pull
- Event Six — Atlas Stones
The WSM organization has not released details for the weight of implements or the precise format of each event. Though, spectators can probably expect familiar events like the Stone Off to stay aligned with previous years. In the past, this concluding event has featured second and third-place finishers from each Qualifying Round group squaring off in an Atlas Stones battle to vie for a Final berth.
The 2023 WSM might be less than three weeks away, but there’s a lot of business to take care of before the South Carolina proceedings. O’Dwyer’s addition surely won’t be the last bit of important news to come to light near the finish line.
Featured image: @theworldsstrongestman on Instagram
