On April 24, 2022, the World’s Strongest Man (WSM) group introduced that Rauno Heinla withdrew from the 2022 WSM, set to happen on the finish of Could. A few hours after the information broke, Canadian Mitchell Hooper was introduced as Heinla’s alternative.
Heinla final competed on this occasion within the 2011 WSM. This yr was to mark the Estonian athlete’s formal return to the competitors. He addressed the rationale for the withdrawal in a submit on his Instagram profile:
[Related: 2022 World’s Strongest Man Reveals 30-Person Lineup]
Within the submit’s caption, Heinla writes that he needed to spend a while within the hospital following a latest 536.6-kilogram Silver Greenback deadlift (1,183 kilos). It’s undoubtedly an unlucky flip of occasions for the strongman.
“Briefly, what occurred [was] unhealthy luck this time,” Heinla writes. “I did a Silver Greenback deadlift and acquired an issue with [my] abdomen. I used to be three days in a hospital [and] won’t specify particulars.”
Heinla didn’t dwell on his sudden misfortune of lacking his second-ever WSM competitors. After taking some wanted time without work, he’s already trying forward and staying constructive.
“Now I would like [to] take straightforward two months after which might be beginning once more [on my] roads to my objectives,” Heinla writes. “And my objectives are nonetheless massive.”
Heinla’s final skilled competitors was the 2022 Europe’s Strongest Man in early April 2022. He completed in twelfth place, whereas Oleksii Novikov gained the occasion.
Twenty-six yr outdated strongman Mitchell Hooper is about to take Heinla’s place, per a quick announcement from the WSM organization.
Right here is the up to date 2022 WSM roster with Heinla’s withdrawal and Hooper’s addition:
2022 WSM Roster, Up to date
- Tom Stoltman (United Kingdom) — Reigning WSM Champion
- Brian Shaw (United States) — 2021 WSM 2nd place
- Maxime Boudreault (Canada) — 2021 WSM third place
- Mitchell Hooper (Canada)
- Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine)
- Rob Kearney (United States)
- Gabriel Peña (Mexico)
- Kelvin de Ruiter (Netherlands)
- Kim Ujarak (Greenland)
- Mark Felix (United Kingdom)
- Pa O’Dwyer (Eire)
- Shane Flowers (United Kingdom)
- Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf (Australia)
- Bobby Thompson (United States)
- Aivars Smaukstelis (Latvia)
- Adam Bishop (United Kingdom)
- Evan Singleton (United States)
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted (Iceland)
- Konstantine Janashia (Georgia)
- Charles “Trey” Mitchell (United States)
- Mika Törrö (Finland)
- Peiman Maheripourehir (Iran)
- Luke Stoltman (United Kingdom)
- Bobby Thompson (United States)
- Kevin Faires (United States)
- Nedžmin Ambešković (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Gabriel Rheaume (Canada)
- Martins Licis (United States)
- Gavin Bilton (United Kingdom)
- Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
[Related: 2022 Giants Live Strongman Classic Reveals Lineup]
Hooper at a Look
With all issues thought-about, Hooper is comparatively new to the skilled strongman scene.
In keeping with his website, the 26-year-old Hooper broke out when he deadlifted 475 kilograms (1047.2 kilos) whereas weighing underneath 140 kilograms. Hooper didn’t disclose his tools for that pull. Hooper additionally not too long ago gained the 2021 Static Monsters Worldwide (SMW) competitors, the place he initially notched a brand new world document whole of 665 kilograms (1,466 kilos) — between the axle deadlift and the overhead log press.
Notably, following the 2021 SMW, Hooper writes that he felt he didn’t correctly lock out a 200-kilogram log press (440.9 kilos). As such, he withdrew the press from his document whole as a result of he didn’t really feel it was worthy of a world document. His 465-kilogram Axle deadlift (1,025 kilos) from the occasion stays in place.
In different near-term ambitions, Hooper says he’d like to interrupt the present deadlift world document on the 2022 Giants Dwell Open and World Deadlift Championships (WDC), which is able to happen on August 6, 2022.
2018 WSM Champion Hafthor Björnsson possesses the deadlift mark to beat with a 501-kilogram pull (1,104.5-pound), set on the 2018 World’s Final Strongman (WUS). 2017 WSM Champion Eddie Hall is the one different member of the unique deadlift membership, along with his exact 500-kilogram (1,104.5-pound) pull set on the 2016 Giants Dwell occasion. Each males wore lifting straps, a lifting belt, and deadlift fits for his or her respective pulls.
On the time of publishing, Hooper has not publicly acknowledged his new place within the 2022 WSM. Nonetheless, it will likely be his first-ever WSM competitors, the place he’s assuredly hoping to make an impression.
The 2022 WSM will happen on Could 24-29 in Sacramento, CA.
Featured Picture: @rauno_heinla on Instagram
