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Adam Bishop Withdraws From Strongman Classic, Gavin Bilton Announced as Replacement

Just three days before the contest on July 9, 2022, Bilton steps into Bishop's vacated slot.

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On July 6, 2022, the Giants Live organization announced over their Instagram profile that former Britain’s Strongest Man (2020) Adam Bishop has withdrawn from the 2022 Giants Live Strongman Classic due to an injury.

The news comes less than a week before the contest kicks off on July 9, 2022, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. Gavin Bilton, the 2021 UK’s Strongest Man, was revealed to be Bishop’s replacement, rounding out the 12-person roster.

[Related: Learn How To Build Strength With Three Key Principles]

Bishop’s withdrawal from the Strongman Classic follows Konstantine Janashia’s mid-June 2022 departure from the competition. Canada’s Maxime Boudreault took his place. Rising strongman star Mitchell Hooper was named the final Wild Card addition to the contest early last month.

Bishop’s Injury

In a later post on his Instagram, Bishop revealed that he was withdrawing from the Strongman Classic because of a recent, unfortunate tear of the medial third of his left triceps tendon during training. The strongman broke down some of the details in the post’s caption.

“I am hoping to speak to a specialist tomorrow [Thursday, July 7, 2022] to decide if I have surgery or not,” Bishop writes. “His decision will determine if I will compete in five weeks. Fingers crossed … Injury is a part of the game, so there is no reason to get stressed over it. Just another small bump in the road.”
The competition Bishop alludes to in his post is the 2022 Giants Live Open and World Deadlift Championships. Those will occur on August 6, 2022, in Cardiff, Wales. It’s apparent Bishop’s status for that contest will be more clear once he has the opinion of a medical professional.

Bilton’s New Shot

As a seasoned veteran with a few years of experience, another shot at the Strongman Classic could prove fruitful for Bilton. In his first appearance at the contest in 2021, the strongman finished in eighth place. That experience might equip him for a better result this year. Some of Bilton’s recent exploits include a third-place result at the 2022 Strongman Champions League Holland and a fourth-place finish in Group 4 of the Qualifying Round at the 2022 World’s Strongest Man (WSM).

Among some of the more noteworthy names on this year’s roster, Bilton will have to beat Oleksii Novikov — the defending Strongman Classic Champion.

Here is where the current 2022 Giants Live Strongman Classic roster stands:

2022 Strongman Classic Roster

  • Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine) — Defending Champion
  • Evan Singleton (United States) — 2021 second place
  • Chieck “Iron Biby” Sanou* (Burkina Faso) — 2021 third place
  • Paul Smith (United Kingdom)
  • Ken McClelland (United States)
  • Maxime Boudreault (Canada)
  • Rob Kearney (United States)
  • Andy Black (United Kingdom)
  • Mark Felix (United Kingdom)
  • Spenser Remick (United States)
  • Gavin Bilton (United Kingdom)
  • Mitchell Hooper (Canada)

*Recent reports show that Sanou has withdrawn from the competition.

Here are the events for this year’s Strongman Classic:

2022 Strongman Classic Events

  • Dumbbell Medley
  • The Pillars of Hercules
  • Farmer’s Carry for Distance
  • Axle Deadlift
  • Castle Stones

[Related: How To Build Muscle: The Training And Diet Guide For Beginners And Advanced Lifters]

With the Strongman Classic just around the corner on July 9, 2022, a victory could be possible for anyone in a competitive field. Novikov will assuredly put his best foot forward for a repeat title, but late additions like Bilton could make that mission difficult.

Featured image: @giantslivestrongman on Instagram

About Robert Zeglinski

Robert is a seasoned and adept editor and writer with a keen, passionate penchant for the writing craft. He's been a leader in newsrooms such as SB Nation, USA TODAY, and WBBM Newsradio, with various other content and art production teams, and first made a name for himself in his hometown of Chicago. When not knee-deep in research or lost in a stream of consciousness for a thorough piece, you can find Robert inhaling yet another novel, journaling his heart out, or playing with his Shiba Inu, Maximus (Max, for short).

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