Muscles, beach crowds, TV cameras. What a competition!
The Tachi Palace World’s Strongest Man contest descended upon Bradenton and Anna Maria Island June 13-16. The event started in downtown Bradenton with 25 competitors in five groups. They participated in five events over three days, including semifinals at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach and the finals — for 10 competitors — at Manatee Public Beach in Holmes Beach.
The athletes competed in a monster truck pull, giant’s medley, super yoke and farmers walk, deadlift reps, overhead press reps and last-man standing over the first three days of the event.
They battled it out for the title of world’s strongest man in five events, including the loading race, where competitors carried a 250-pound keg, a 275-pound anvil and two 300-pound sandbags, racing a distance of 12 meters to place the objects on a 42-inch-high table.
The second event saw two athletes go head-to-head, picking up four weights in succession in a timed race. They started with two 130-pound dumbbells, a 220-pound weight that they had to hold up with one arm, a 350-pound circus barbell and, finally, a 375-pound log.
The third event was the overhead press medley followed by the squat lift, where competitors tried to get the most reps.
Finally, the signature event of the World’s Strongest Man, the atlas stones.
In this event, competitors lift and put five stones on a table faster than their opponents. The stones start at 260 pounds and get heavier, culminating with a stone that weighs 440 pounds.
The competition brought about1,000 enthusiastic and curious people to each venue, though getting a good look at the action was difficult.
Some folks adapted and found ways to get a view, including a few people who brought stepladders to peer over the crowd.
The finals at the beach concluded with an awards ceremony celebrating the champion — the World’s Strongest Man — Martins Licis of the United States.