American strongman Evan Singleton wasn’t the only big winner at the 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC).
During the contest that took place on July 8, 2023, in London, England, Australian athlete Eddie Williams broke the Nicol Stone Carry World Record with a distance of 31.66 meters. The famous stones weighed 114 kilograms (251.3 pounds) and 138 kilograms (304.2 pounds), respectively. Meanwhile, another American competitor, Trey Mitchell, set a new Viking Press World Record by finishing 18 repetitions of the eponymous overhead implement, which weighed 150 kilograms (330.6 pounds). By the competition’s end, Mitchell and Williams finished in fourth and fifth place overall.
The Nicol Stone Carry was the first event of the 2023 GLSC, meaning Williams effectively set the tone for the competition with his World Record. The athlete notably shattered the distance of the previous World Record holder Kevin Faires by over seven meters. Notably, Faires was also competing in the contest. Faires set the past Nicol Stone Carry mark at the 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals with a carry of 24.61 meters.
Each of Williams, Faires, Singleton, and Mitchell Hooper eclipsed the previous record, but it was Williams who comfortably notched the farthest distance.
Given that the Castle Stones (or Atlas Stones) are a usual closer at strongman events, the Viking Press served as the climactic penultimate event of the 2023 GLSC. A battle that Mitchell shined in with his World Record. Mitchell’s record of 18 reps surpasses Paul Smith, who locked out 13 reps at the 2023 Giants Live Britain’s Strongest Man (GLBSM) for the past top number. Once again, several strongmen at the 2023 GLSC outperformed the previous Viking Press record, but Mitchell stood tallest in the showcase of overhead pressing endurance.
Mitchell will likely move forward by diving back into his training for the 2023 Shaw Classic (SC) in August. The athlete is the two-time defending champion and could be the competitor who keeps the legendary Brian Shaw from winning his last-ever professional strongman contest. On the flip side, Williams is a former two-time Australia’s Strongest Man (ASM) champion (2017-2018) and figures to be someone to watch after notching his first top-five international finish since 2019.
Featured image: @berserkerlifter on Instagram
