The Giants Live World Open seems to have already become a tentpole competition in strongman. This year, it will take place on August 6, 2022, at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales. Like last year’s event, the 2022 World Deadlift Championships (WDC) will also be a part of it as the competitors attempt to claim the title of top deadlifter in the world.
On May 5, 2022, the Giants Live organization revealed the 12-person lineup for this summer’s competition over their Instagram page. From the defending champion to more than a few worthy comers, here’s the current lineup as it stands.
2022 Giants Live Open & World Deadlift Championships Lineup
Here’s who will make their way to Wales in early August:
- Evan Singleton (United States) — Defending Champion
- Pa O’Dwyer (Ireland)
- Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine) — 2021 Third place
- Mitchell Hooper (Canada)
- Ivan Makarov (Russia) — 2021 WDC Champion
- Andy Black (United Kingdom)
- Rauno Heinla (Estonia)
- Gavin Bilton (United Kingdom)
- Shane Flowers (England)
- Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine)
- Peiman Maheripourehir (Iran)
- Wild card — Announced at a later date
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What to Expect
At the time of this writing, there is no confirmation of the format for this year’s competition. That said, the Giants Live World Open usually tasks the athletes to compete in five separate events.
The 2021 competition featured the Carry & Drag, Viking Press, Hammer Hold, Castle Stones, and of course — the Max Deadlift. The top-three finishers also typically earn automatic qualification for the following year’s World’s Strongest Man (WSM). In this case, that would be the 2023 WSM.
Evan “T-Rex” Singleton is the reigning champion of the Giants Live World Open. Powered by first-place performances in the Carry & Drag, where Singleton dragged 160-kilogram anchors in each hand in 27.38 seconds, along with the Viking Press, where he pressed 160 kilograms for 12 reps — the American athlete clinched the victory.
However, Adam Bishop and Oleksii Novikov were not far behind in second and third place, respectively. Bishop won the famed Castle Stones when he loaded five stones ranging from 100 to 180 kilograms in 18.81 seconds. He also garnered at least a top-three finish in four of the five events. Meanwhile, Novikov finished in the top three in three of the five events, most notably tying for second on the Max Deadlift with a pull of 453.5 kilograms (999.8 pounds)
With better results and strokes of luck this year, perhaps either of the two men can supplant Singleton.
As for the Max Deadlift — which again doubles as the WDC — Ivan Makarov returns to defend his title. The Russian athlete pulled 475 kilograms (1047.2 pounds) during the 2021 WDC — almost 10 kilograms more than the next best competitors. He will undoubtedly be a favorite to take home the title of top deadlifter again. The second-place deadlift featured a six-way tie with six successive pulls of 453.5 kilograms (999.8 pounds). Five of those athletes — Singleton, Bishop, Novikov, Gabriel Peña, and Pavlo Nakonechnyy — return this year.
One of them could end up closing the gap on Makarov.
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A High Bar
The Giants Live organization has issued a wager to the athletes.
If anyone manages to deadlift the world record of 505 kilograms (1,113.3 pounds) during the WDC, they will receive $55,000. 2018 WSM champion Hafthor Björnsson holds the current world record with a pull of 501 kilograms (1,104.5 pounds) from the 2020 World’s Ultimate Strongman “Feats of Strength” series.
Krzysztof Wierzbicki (110KG) did pull 502.5 kilograms (1,107 pounds) in April 2022 — the heaviest filmed deadlift in history. Though, even if the pull occurred during a sanctioned competition, that deadlift would not count in strongman because Wierzbicki used a sumo stance. It also wouldn’t count in powerlifting because he used straps.
As far as other potential competitors for the WDC, Nick Best has petitioned Giants Live to let powerlifter Jamal Browner (110KG) participate. At the time of publishing, there is no word on the status of that request.
Whether anyone can break the top deadlift mark with a referee watching in early August is up in the air, but it certainly isn’t impossible.
The 2022 Giants Live World Open and World Deadlift Championships will take place on August 6, 2022, in Cardiff, Wales.
Featured image: @novikov_strong_wsm
