Finding the strongest man on the planet starts with 30 competitors and ends with just 10 vying for essentially the most prestigious title in the game of strongman. On April 30, just in the future before the 2024 World’s Strongest Man is ready to start in Myrtle Beach, SC, Giants Live announced the six athlete groups for the 2024 WSM Qualifying Stage on their YouTube channel.
The Qualifying Stage takes place over the primary two days of competition: May 1-2, 2024. The top two athletes in each group will advance to the WSM Final on May 4-5. WSM organizer and promoter Colin Bryce attributed the late group announcement, relative to years past, to the high variety of pre-event drop-outs (including WSM mainstays Oleksii Novikov, Martins Licis, and Mateusz Kieliszkowski).
“We’ve lost a number of big names on the way in which in here. If you call groups too early, you’ll find yourself in a situation where two of your biggest seeds fall out of 1 group. Where does that leave you? It leaves a large void. All that matters is you get the data on the events as early as possible. And we’ve done that.”
2024 World’s Strongest Man Groups
At long last, listed below are the groups for 2024 WSM. Of these 30 strongman competing within the Qualifying Stage, only 10 will advance to the 2024 WSM Final.
Group 1
- Luke Stoltman (GB)
- Trey Mitchell (USA)
- Kevin Faires (USA)
- Eddie Williams (OUT OF)
- Oskar Ziółkowski (POL)
- Tristain Hoath (CA)
Trey Mitchell stays a wildcard for this competition. He suffered an Achilles injury that compelled him to withdraw from the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational. With only six months or so to get well and prep for this contest, there may be plenty of uncertainty regarding expectations — Mitchell is usually a podium contender at this stage of his strongman profession on the game’s biggest stages.
Most can presume that the 2024 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) Luke Stoltman can carry his current momentum to a 2024 WSM Final birth. He is comfortable on this stage and may fare well given the event structure — overhead events are his specialty.
If Mitchell will not be competing at 100%, then Faires is probably going essentially the most favorable pick to flee the group with Stoltman. The Webster Stones, because the opening event, will likely be a legendary battle between Faires and Williams. The latter currently holds the Nicol Stones record, but Faires set and held the record multiple times over before Williams claimed it.
Group 2
- Austin Andrade (MX)
- Gavin Bilton (BG)
- Nicolas Cambi (IT)
- Ondrej Fojta (CZ)
- Mitchell Hooper — Defending Champion (CA)
- Spenser Remick (USA)
Hooper is predicted to slam dunk his way through this group to the Final. The query after that’s who competes within the Stone Off. The Qualifying Stage events are favorable to guys like Bilton and Andrade, but Cambi is untested at this level.
Cambi and Hooper are more likely to crush the moving events (e.g., the Sandbag Steeplechase), while the Viking Press is potentially favorable to heavier competitors like Bilton. If Cambi or Andrade can covert a runner-up finish within the group in order that they can lift second within the Stone-Off, a WSM Final appearance is likely to be of their future.
Group 3
- Adam Bishop (GB)
- Thomas Evans (USA)
- Rob Kearney (USA)
- Pa O’Dwyer (IRL)
- Mathew Ragg (NZ)
- Aivars Shmaukstelis (LVA)
After his debut performance in 2023, Ragg has many eyes on him to perform well in 2024. Betting odds likely favor Ragg to win the group. However, Kearney can have the fireplace under him in his the ultimate WSM appearance before he closes the curtain on his competitive strongman profession.
Šmaukstelis has been a workhorse of consistency on the Strongman Champions League circuit and knows find out how to handle himself at this level. Bishop has historically been hit and miss on the WSM; some years, he seems undeniable, while others leave the gang perplexed. If Bishop is on his game, the events are favorable to him.
This is a particularly tight group, and any of its athletes could win. Keep tabs on who can covert a runner-up finish since the chances are whoever is in third and, due to this fact, lifting first within the Stone-Off will fall.
Group 4
- Marcus Crowder (USA)
- Kane Francis (GB)
- Rauno Heinla (EAST)
- Pavlo Kordiyaka (UA)
- Evans Nana (GHA)
- Evan Singleton (USA)
Singleton’s stock has risen a ton with all of the withdrawals. He has been a podium contender on the WSM before, and far of his elite competition from years past won’t be in attendance. He is definitely aware of this. If Singleton can maintain his nerves and execute his gameplan, he’s a favourite to flee the group and advance to the Final.
Kordiyaka is a jack-of-all-trades would could blitz the group in the event that they are unsuspecting and outright win it. If that happens, the opposite competitors just need to make sure Heinla doesn’t make it to the Stone-Off because if he does, he’ll likely bury whomever is lifting across from him.
Group 5
- Wesley Derwinsky (CA)
- Nathan Goltry (USA)
- Adam Roszkowski (POL)
- Jaco Schoonwinkel (IN)
- Tom Stoltman (GB)
- Bobby Thompson (USA)
Tom Stoltman is the most important contender to Hooper’s throne. Stoltman, a former two-time WSM champion, has good events through the Qualifying Stage and is untouchable on the Stones.
A legitimate strategy for the opposite five athletes is to concede the group to Stoltman to make sure he will not be within the Stone-Off. That way, whomever does reach the Stone-Off can take a legitimate shot on goal to succeed in the Final.
Early money is probably going on Bobby Thompson and Schoonwinkel to be in that Stone-Off position as the opposite three athletes are untested on the WSM stage.
2024 World’s Strongest Man Events and Schedule
The importance of the groupings can’t be understated. An athlete’s opportunity to succeed in the Finals Stage could be made or broken largely by who they’re up against of their groups in the course of the Qualifying Stage.
Another huge component of an athlete’s journey through the WSM? Which events do athletes tackle, and wherein order? Here are the feats of strength these groups will tackle in the course of the prestigious week of grit and showmanship.
The events for each the Qualifying Events and Finals follow, together with their day and time in EST.
Qualifying Stage — Day One (Wednesday, May 1)
- Qualifying Event 1: Webster Stones — 9:00 AM
- Qualifying Event 2: Deadlift Ladder — 1:00 PM
- Qualifying Event 3: Sandbag Steeplechase — 4:00 PM
Qualifying Stage — Day Two (Thursday, May 2)
- Qualifying Event 4: Globe Viking Press — 9:00 AM
- Qualifying Event 5: Car Walk — 1:00 PM
- Qualifying Event 6: Stone-Off — 5:00 PM
Finals Stage — Day One (Saturday, May 4)
- Finals Event 1: KNAACK Giant’s Medley — 10:00 AM
- Finals Event 2: Max Axle Press — 11:30 AM
- Finals Event 3: Keg Toss — 3:00 PM
Finals Stage — Day Two (Sunday, May 5)
- Finals Event 4: Reign Total Body Fuel Conan’s Wheel — 10:00 AM
- Finals Event 5: BFGoodrich Tires HD Terrain Deadlift — 12:00 PM
- Finals Event 6: Atlas Stones — 3:00 PM
Stay Tuned
Fans won’t give you the option to look at the 2024 WSM on livestream, but you may stick around ‘s 2024 WSM results page and up-to-date articles covering each event as soon as they conclude. Our on-the-ground correspondent Roger Lockridge shall be bringing all breaking news, event recaps, and evaluation right from Myrtle Beach.
With the groups finally announced, the 2024 WSM is all set for a powerful ride.
