World’s Strongest Man 2026 Results: Full 4-Day Breakdown, Analysis, and How Mitch Hooper Won

World’s Strongest Man 2026 Results

GOLD: Mitch Hooper (Canada)

SILVER: Rayno Nel (South Africa)

BRONZE: Trey Mitchell (USA)

Introduction to the 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals

The World’s Strongest Man 2026 delivered one of the most competitive finals in recent history. Mitch Hooper claimed the title through relentless consistency, holding off a dominant Rayno Nel and a surging Trey Mitchell. This full breakdown covers all results, key moments, and the coaching insights that ultimately decided the competition.

As a fan of strongman for as far back as I can remember, the title of World’s Strongest Man (WSM) has always stood at the top of the sport’s calendar. Regardless of the other major events on their resume, this is the one that defines them. Similar to winning a Super Bowl, once you earn it, you are always introduced as the World’s Strongest Man champion.

This marked my fourth on-site visit to the event and my first time covering the competition for SportsEdTV. My previous three trips gave me the opportunity to coach four-time WSM champion Brian Shaw in his final two appearances on the WSM stage. Last year, I was part of Thomas Evans’ coaching staff. That perspective matters when evaluating what unfolded here.

Day 1 Results – Establishing Position in World’s Strongest Man 2026

We opened up the World’s Strongest Man 2026 in Myrtle Beach, and right away, you could feel it. Twenty-five athletes, five groups, and, after three events, the contest had already begun to separate.

The Farmers Carry into Power Stairs medley told us everything. This wasn’t about speed. It was about load management, grip strength, and transitions under fatigue.

Tom Stoltman not taking control of his group changed the entire dynamic. Once the torn callus was confirmed, grip became the defining variable, especially with stones looming later.

The pressing medley separated the field as expected:

• Trey Mitchell dominated statistically
• Mitch Hooper stayed efficient and controlled

Then came the squat, and from a coaching standpoint, it exposed a problem:

• Inconsistent depth
• Variable leverages
• Load not heavy enough to separate elite athletes

Day 1 takeaway: You’re either setting a position or digging a hole.

Day 2 Results – Group Stage Pressure and Final Qualification

Day 2 is where this contest becomes real. The Final 10 are set, and the first thing you look at is who didn’t make it. Tom Stoltman is out. Evan Singleton is out. That changes everything.

Now you focus on who stepped up.

Andre Foytu was as complete as anyone in the group stage. Controlled, efficient, and never out of position. Chad said it, that’s a podium threat walking into the finals.

Mitch Hooper continued to do what he does better than anyone. He stayed in position across every event. No panic, no wasted reps.

Eddie Williams stood out immediately. At that size, the way he moves separates him. That showed up all through the groups.

Trey Mitchell had to fight his way in. That’s his path. He doesn’t always dominate early, but when it comes down to stones, he shows up.

And once again, the stones decided it. Fatigue is high, grip is taxed, and now it’s about finishing. Chad kept coming back to that all day, finish the job.

The depth of this field is real. The margin between advancing and going home is small.

Day 2 takeaway: Survival is over. Now it’s execution.

NOTE: Starting in 2025, the WSM replaced the clean-slate format with a weighted system that rewarded athletes with bonus points based on 2-day group performances. This actually creates event 1 of the finals in my mind.  This was done to ensure that all athletes compete at their highest level in all group events.  In the past, many athletes would skip the last event of the group stage if they had already clinched the group wins.

World’s Strongest Man 2026 Final Standings After Group Stage

Starting in 2025, WSM introduced a weighted system that rewards group-stage performance. This effectively creates a “hidden first event” in the finals and forces full effort across all qualifying rounds.

Day 3 Results – Rayno Nel Dominates the Finals

On day 3, the first day of the finals, Rayno Nel took control of the contest.

Three events. Three wins. That’s not just a strong day; that’s dominance.

He separated in the movement event, and what stood out was how he handled transitions. Even against Mitch Hooper, he was faster. That tells you everything about his condition coming in.

Then the deadlift. 400 kilos for five reps. That’s elite-level output. Chad and I talked about it right away, which puts him in rare company.

Behind him, Hooper stayed exactly where he needed to be. He didn’t chase; he managed. That’s experience and awareness over four days.

Eddie Williams held third, but the field tightened. Pavlo Kordiyaka and Matt Ragg were right there applying pressure.

From fourth through eighth, it was wide open.

Day 3 takeaway: Nel dominated the day, but Hooper stayed alive.

Day 4 Results – How Mitch Hooper Won the World’s Strongest Man 2026

Final day, and this is exactly how it should be. Mitch Hooper and Rayno Nel are going into the final event with the title on the line. No scenarios. Go perform.

The log press set the table, and Trey Mitchell made his move. Massive lift, controlled, and as Chad said, he had more in the tank. That wasn’t a max effort; that was smart execution to position himself for the stones.

Hooper and Nel did exactly what high-level competitors do. They didn’t chase numbers; they managed the contest.

Now, when you step back and evaluate the finals, here’s what stands out. Only two athletes won events across both days. Rayno Nel swept Day 1 of the finals with three straight wins. Then Trey Mitchell came back and swept Day 2. Nobody else won an event. All the while, Mitchell Hooper was consistent with 5-second place finishes, 3 outright and 2 joint.  

From a coaching standpoint, that tells you everything. You had two athletes who could dominate on a given day and separate themselves from the field. Historically, you’ve seen dominant runs, but it is extremely rare, and possibly the first time, that only two athletes accounted for every event win across an entire World’s Strongest Man final. That speaks to how unique this contest was.

But here’s the difference. Winning events is one thing. Managing the entire contest is another.

Then we get to the stones.

Four days in, everything is taxed, and now it’s about execution. And this cannot get overlooked, Trey Mitchell was the only athlete to load all five stones. The only one. After everything these guys went through, he finished the full series.

But the title still came down to Hooper and Nel.  Hooper was cleaner, faster, and more efficient. No wasted movement, no panic, just execution.  That’s why he wins.  Chad said it best all weekend: consistency wins. Period.

Hooper didn’t need to win events. He needed to stay in position, avoid mistakes, and deliver when it mattered.

How Mitch Hooper Won the World’s Strongest Man 2026

Hooper takes the title. Nel finishes second after a dominant start to the finals. Mitchell climbs from the middle of the pack to the podium.

That’s a response.

Behind them, the depth of field became apparent. Eddie Williams was in podium position heading into the final day. Pavlo Kordiyaka kept climbing late. Martins Licis showed veteran composure. Matt Ragg proved he belongs. Nick Guardione removed any doubt about his place at this level.

Final Takeaway

Nel showed dominance.
Mitchell showed resilience.
Hooper showed championship consistency.

And at this level, consistency wins.

#WORDS WIN

Joe Kenn   oe Kenn, known as “Big House,” is a veteran strength and conditioning coach who has worked with elite athletes across the NFL and strongman, bringing decades of high-performance ex

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