With Brian Shaw’s run seemingly coming to an end, Mitchell Hooper looks to cement himself as strongman’s king.
Just one day remains in the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM). One day to determine who has the privilege to become ultimate strongman royalty. One day to find out who gets to sit on top of what might be strength sports’ most prestigious throne in Myrtle Beach, SC.
As the second climactic half of the Finals looms on Sunday, here’s where the 2023 WSM Finals leaderboard stands at the end of Day Three, along with a recap of how each athlete fared in the first half of the Finals.
Editor’s Note: Results are provided by our official reporter in attendance. These results are not considered official until after they are confirmed on the World’s Strongest Man homepage.
2023 WSM Finals Leaderboard
| Rank | Name | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitchell Hooper — Canada | 25 |
| 2 | Oleksii Novikov — Ukraine | 24.5 |
| 3 | Tom Stoltman — United Kingdom | 24 |
| 4 | Trey Mitchell — USA | 22.5 |
| 5 | Evan Singleton — USA | 15 |
| 6 | Brian Shaw — USA | 14.5 |
| 7 | Pavlo Kordiyaka — Ukraine | 14 |
| 8 | Mathew Ragg — New Zealand | 11.5 |
| 9 | Luke Stoltman — United Kingdom | 8 |
| 10 | Jaco Schoonwinkel — South Africa | 5.5 |
2023 World’s Strongest Man Day 3 Results
Here are the Day 3 results from the first part of the 2023 WSM Finals, including each athlete’s individual finishes, any relevant corresponding times and distances, and tasked weights on the Reign Total Body Fuel Shield Carry, the KNAACK Deadlift, and the Fingal’s Fingers. Due to a two-hour inclement weather delay, all the event start times were pushed back accordingly. In a scheduling shift, the Fingal’s Fingers became the last event of the day, while the Reign Total Body Fuel Shield Carry began the Finals.
Reign Total Body Fuel Shield Carry Recap
The Reign Total Body Fuel Shield Carry tasked the competitors with carrying a 196-kilogram (432-pound) shield for maximum distance. Competitors moved back and forth along a 20-meter (65.6-foot) course for as much as they could.
In unfortunate circumstances, controversy may have defined the Reign Total Body Fuel Shield Carry. Ukraine’s Pavlo Kordiyaka, who had a legitimate shot at the 2023 WSM podium (and perhaps even more) entering the first day of the Finals, may have lost his opportunity on a debatable penalty for failing to fully cross a boundary line before continuing one lap of his carry. Kordiyaka would lose a whopping five points and be penalized 19.8 meters of distance from his carry, resulting in a score of 46.59 meters. If not for the penalty, Kordiyaka would’ve had the overwhelming best distance of all participating finalists. The competitor would leave the stage in apparent disgust after the penalty ruling.
Instead, the likely growing WSM favorite, Mitchell Hooper, finished with the best carry of 64.8 meters in Heat 3.
Heat 1
- Brian Shaw — 39.1 meters
- Mathew Ragg — 37.65 meters
Heat 2
- Evan Singleton — 48.3 meters
- Luke Stoltman — 44.62 meters
Heat 3
- Mitchell Hooper — 64.8 meters
- Tom Stoltman — 63.15 meters
Heat 4
- Trey Mitchell — 50.83 meters
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 46.59 meters (includes 19.8-meter penalty)
Heat 5
- Oleksii Novikov — 55.87 meters
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 15.92 meters
KNAACK Deadlift Recap
The KNAACK Deadlift did not reinvent the wheel for the athletes. It was a traditional deadlift for maximum repetitions with 355 kilograms (782.6 pounds) as rain fell on Myrtle Beach. Hooper claimed another event victory by being the only strongman to finish eight repetitions. Four athletes tied for second on the KNAACK deadlift with seven successful repetitions, including Oleksii Novikov, Trey Mitchell, Brian Shaw, and Mathew Ragg.
- Mitchell Hooper — 8 reps
- Oleksii Novikov — 7 reps
- Trey Mitchell — 7 reps
- Brian Shaw — 7 reps
- Mathew Ragg — 7 reps
- Tom Stoltman — 6 reps
- Evan Singleton — 5 reps
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 5 reps
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 4 reps
- Luke Stoltman — 3 reps
Fingal’s Fingers Recap
The end of the first half of the 2023 WSM Finals was a fitting spectacle, as it featured the Fingal’s Fingers. The event had not been a part of a WSM Finals round since 2009, marking a decade-plus absence as a decision-making race. The strongmen had the objective of flipping five successive “fingers” in one minute. The beams had the approximate size of telephone poles and ranged in these weights as they progressed through the course: 145 kilograms (320 pounds), 154 kilograms (340 pounds), 159 kilograms (350 pounds), 163 kilograms (360 pounds), and 172 kilograms (380 pounds).
Two-time defending WSM champion Tom Stoltman paced ahead of the rest of the competitors — completing all five fingers nearly three full seconds before his closest competitor — putting himself in great position for the second half of the Finals on Sunday afternoon.
- Tom Stoltman — 5 reps, 39.36 seconds
- Oleksii Novikov — 5 reps, 42.26 seconds
- Trey Mitchell — 5 reps, 48.46 seconds
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 5 reps, 48.69 seconds
- Evan Singleton — 5 reps, 49.85 seconds
- Mitchell Hooper — 5 reps, 49.89 seconds
- Brian Shaw — 4 reps, 26.61 seconds
- Luke Stoltman — 4 reps, 32.54 seconds
- Mathew Ragg — 4 reps, 35.03 seconds
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 1 rep, 40.76 seconds
A Sunday of Strength
Any number of storylines and questions could define the final day of the 2023 WSM.
Just one year after surprising the elite strongman field in his WSM debut, Mitchell Hooper might lead the fray. The Canadian strongman is arguably in the strongest position to win the title and could culminate one of the more meteoric rises over an approximate year that the sport has ever seen.
Then there’s Brian Shaw. On the last day of his WSM career, Shaw could, theoretically, win all three of the last events to capture a legendary fifth title and cap one of the greatest ever runs in strongman. Technically, two-time defending champion Tom Stoltman is still in a position to finish a rare and legendary “three-peat,” too.
Finally, as the dust settles, it remains to be seen how Kordiyaka’s controversial penalty will define the rest of the contest. It might take a Herculean effort to overshadow a ruling that may have cost an athlete a legitimate opportunity at strongman’s greatest title.
To some, the suspense might be terrible on the last day of the 2023 WSM. To these elite strongmen, they likely hope it lasts.
Featured image: Todd Burandt / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
