Laurence “Huge Loz” Shahlaei Recaps 2023 World’s Strongest Man Finals, Reacts to Teaching Consumer Mitchell Hooper’s Win

Huge Loz could not assist however beam with delight for the brand new champ.

Written by Roger Lockridge Final up to date on April 25, 2023

Famend strongman commentator and 2016 Europe’s Strongest Man, Laurence “Huge Loz” Shahlaei has labored as a coach for a lot of high-level energy athletes, together with the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM), Mitchell Hooper. Following Hooper’s 2023 WSM victory, Shahlaei and spouse Liz Shahlaei shared their ideas and opinions in regards to the information his YouTube channel.

The Shahlaei’s began the video with a recap of the last day of competition, starting with the Circus Dumbbell. They famous that 2020 WSM winner Oleksii Novikov was anticipated to do properly primarily based his lengthy string of dominating the occasion in previous competitions, whereas Hooper and defending champion Tom Stoltman might possible lose factors on the leaderboard.

Liz Shahlaei expressed her ideas in regards to the refereeing throughout this occasion, highlighting some doubtlessly questionable lockout calls, whereas Huge Loz famous that the calls have been not less than in keeping with all of the athletes.

He was most shocked that 2020 World’s Strongest Man Oleksii Novikov didn’t win the occasion — Novikov would tie for second place, together with Tom and Luke Stoltman, and Pavlo Kordiyaka. All 4 rivals accomplished a elevate with the 132.5-kilogram (291-pound) dumbbell. Hooper and Evan Singleton tied for the win in that occasion, efficiently lifting the 140.4-kilogram (309-pound) dumbbell.

Subsequent up was the Truck Pull, and each man that was nonetheless within the competitors completed in lower than 40 seconds, which stunned Loz. Hooper received that occasion with a time of 30.24 seconds, which padded his total lead over Stoltman going into the ultimate occasion.

“I’ve to say, I’ve by no means seen the Truck Pull completed so rapidly at World’s Strongest Man.”

Certainly, the final time a car pull was carried out sooner in a WSM Finals occasion was Manfred Hoberl’s blazing 29.64-second truck pull within the 1994 WSM contest.

Shahlaei additionally famous that he was glad there seemed to be no controversy over who received the occasion, as Hooper’s time exceeded the runner-up by greater than two full seconds.

“The winner was a transparent winner,” Huge Loz stated, whereas stating that Hooper’s earlier efficiency within the occasion — 49.24 seconds within the 2022 WSM — wasn’t as aggressive as his current efficiency. 

“He’s labored extraordinarily exhausting at this. This complete competitors has simply been phenomenal. I’ve been blown away.”