On July 25, 2023, strongman Evan Singleton shared a video of himself capturing a 612-kilogram (1,350-pound) leg press for 12 reps during a recent training session. Per the caption of his post, Singleton has seen significant progress with his leg press strength lately, which aligns with how far he’s apparently come with his deadlift.
Given that Singleton is a prominent fixture on the 2023 Shaw Classic (SC) roster, such developments could be excellent news for an athlete looking to notch another win and earn the title of “The Strongest Man on Earth.” The Car Leg Press is one of the 2023 SC’s main events and will be for max reps. Singleton alluded to this leg press session as a means to prepare for it, writing, “[I’m] ready to throw a car up there [at the 2023 SC] and rep it out!”
With his 2023 preparation in the account, Singleton has enjoyed a resurgence of late. A biceps injury in late 2022 forced Singleton to withdraw from the remainder of the strongman competitive calendar as he recuperated and regained his strength post-surgery. In recent weeks, he’s seemingly back to top form.
The American athlete is fresh off a victory at the 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC), notably overcoming two World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champions in Mitchell Hooper (2023) and Tom Stoltman (2021-2022) en route to the title. Perhaps more notably, Singleton even beat Trey Mitchell (fourth place), who is the reigning two-time SC champion (2021-2022). Before the GLSC, Singleton finished in fifth during the 2023 WSM, roughly just six months after his biceps ailment.
Here’s an overview of the 2023 SC roster as Singleton pushes for another victory:
2023 Shaw Classic Roster
- Trey Mitchell (United States) — Reigning two-time Champion
- Brian Shaw (United States) — 2022 runner-up
- Mitchell Hooper (Canada) — 2022 third place
- Tom Stoltman (United Kingdom)
- Luke Stoltman (United Kingdom)
- Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
- Bobby Thompson (United States)
- Adam Bishop (United Kingdom)
- Graham Hicks (United Kingdom)
- Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine)
- Thomas Evans (United States)
- Maxime Boudreault (Canada)
- Kevin Faires (United States)
- Aivars Šmaukstelis (Latvia)
- Evan Singleton (United States)
- *Gavin Bilton (United Kingdom) | *Replaces Mateusz Kieliszkowski
Here’s a rundown of the 2023 SC events schedule:
2023 Shaw Classic Events
- Log Medley
- Max Hummer Tire Deadlift
- Wheelbarrow and Arm-Over-Arm Medley
- Bag Toss
- Car Leg Press
- Atlas Stones
- Standing Bench Press
- Fingal’s Fingers and Power Stairs Medley
If Singleton can thrive in a high-pressure situation coming off a recent injury, and if he can topple titans like Mitchell, Hooper, and Stoltman in another setting, then logic would posit that he could potentially transfer over such a performance to his next contest in the 2023 SC.
Singleton has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the professional strongman sphere. With another sterling performance or even victory at the 2023 SC, he could become the sport’s next hot commodity.
Featured image: @evan_trex_strongman on Instagram
