The 2014 Europe’s Strongest Man contest was held in Leeds earlier this month. Perhaps you recall this bit of information from our post about Icelandic strongman Benedikt Magnússon breaking the world deadlift record. What we failed to inform you at that point in time was that the winner of this year’s event, according to my new favorite website NewsOfIceland.com, was Hafþór Júlíus “Thor” Björnsson. If the name Hafþór Júlíus “Thor” Björnsson rings a bell for you, there’s a pretty good reason for that: IT’S THE MOUNTAIN FROM GAME OF THRONES.
We’ve detailed some of Björnsson’s strongman exploits before, like the fact that he is “the strongest man in Iceland” and the fact that he can deadlift damn near half a ton himself, so it’s not like he just walked in off the street to take home the trophy, but still. THE MOUNTAIN. Good to see you again, buddy.
Above, please find a video of the highlights from his title-winning performance. Please especially note the Atlas stone event around the 2:00 mark, because it ends with him tearing his shirt off and screaming “I AM THE FUTURE OF STRENGTH, AS I AM THE KING OF THE STONES” into a microphone during a post-event report with an attractive correspondent. That might be the coolest sentence I’ve ever heard. Shoutout to Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson.
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Coincidentally, I’m from Leeds!
Holy shit, dude!
Some science types, (all together now: NERRRRRRRRRRRDS!!!), found some way to show that this was physically impossible after the GOT episode in question aired.
That said I am not going to be the one to go up to Hafpor and tell him he’s full of shit.
I seem to recall from Fight Science that it takes like 1400 lbs of pressure to crack the skull. No idea what it would take to outright crush it.
He should’ve said “I AM THE GOD OF TITS AND WINE” because you know he was that night.
Also, who comes up with these trials? So random!
Trial by putting kegs in a truck combat.
And I’m guessing he didn’t need that shirt pre-cut.
He could still pop your eyeballs and beat you into succotash.