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The Mountain, Hafthor Bjornsson, Vows to Break the All-Time Powerlifting World Record as He Decides to Unretire

Published 02/15/2023, 7:45 AM EST

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Hafthor Bjornsson became a household name when he appeared as Ser Gregor Clegane in the HBO hit series Game of Thrones. A strongman by profession, Bjornsson, over the years, has already proved his versatility. A social media star, a bodybuilding sensation, and a global icon, the 34-year took the fitness world by storm as he announced his long-awaited comeback. 

Giving away a direct message to his competitors and fans, the Icelandic Strongman looked pumped up as he hinted at breaking the all-time world record total in powerlifting. Posting a warning message on his official YouTube video, The Mountain man had a lot to say.

Hafthor Bjornsson eyes the world record 

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Bjornsson’s journey started with powerlifting when he was in his teens. Falling in love with the discipline, he soon transitioned to become a reckoning name as a ‘Strongman.’ Starting his journey at the legendary Jakaból gym (Nest of Giants), he began training in a domain that would soon establish him as the GOAT. Making his dominance felt in the sport, Hafthor held the title of Iceland’s Strongest Man for nine consecutive years. As fans yearned for more, he surprised the sporting world when he announced his retirement in 2020.

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The decision came after him making a 1,104.5 lb all-time deadlift world record that was earlier held by Eddie Hall. The move sparked outrage and bought him face-to-face with Hall in a boxing match. Even though he won the match, he surprised everyone with his decision to retire from boxing. As he shifted his concentration to powerlifting, the Bjornsson fans saw him taking part in the powerlifting competition. However, as luck would have it, he missed claiming the title by just coming short of 2204 lbs. Now, putting the past behind Bjornsson is ready to push his numbers to further extremes and make history again.

335LBS Strongman Giant Hafthor Bjornsson Left “Absolutely Crushed” After His “Nervous” Attempt at Something Outside His Territory

Letting his fans aware of his decision on 13th February, he posted a video on YouTube declaring, “I am coming out of retirement.” A decision that came after much contemplation, Bjornsson revealed how he had taken the advice of his coach, mentors, and wife. Though many anticipated his comeback to Strongman, the former world champion made it clear that he wants to pursue his dreams in powerlifting.

With his vision set, Bjornsson looks forward to leaving behind a rich legacy 

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After doing the unthinkable in strongman sport, Bjornsson intends to spell his magic in powerlifting. Having set the goal, he now wants to hit the bull’s eye by breaking the all-time world record total of Dan Bell’s 2,606.9 lbs. A record that remains unbroken since the 2021 WRPF Hybrid Showdown III- Thor is all set to claim it to his name. Talking about his prospects, he remarked, “I love training, and I want to build my legacy in the strength world. So, my decision is to come back into powerlifting.”

Thor has taken a year’s time to turn his dream into a reality. Bjornsson wants to set the record in the ‘Raw World Record,’ the division otherwise officially referred to as ‘Raw With Wraps.’ For those unaware, powerlifting comprises- squats, bench, and deadlifts, and Bjornsson wants to break the record in all three. As the big plans are already laid out, it’s just a matter of time before The Mountain registers another world record to his name.

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Watch This Story: The King and Thor: Ronnie Coleman is in Awe of Bjornsson’s Record Lifts  

Do you think Bjornsson can claim the record to his name, or are his aspirations too high? Do let us know about your perspective in the comments section below.

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Written by:

Mubhaswara Ahamed

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Mubhaswara Ahamed is currently working as a US Sports Author for Essentially Sports. She completed her Grad degree in English Literature from Calcutta University. Mubhaswara was introduced to the world of sports by her father.
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Edited by:

Simar Singh Wadhwa