Strongman competition returns to Manchester’s AO Arena

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‘Giants Live’ is set to mark the grand reopening of the AO Arena next month as the Strongman World Open & World Deadlift Championships are hosted in Manchester on August 14.

The competition returns to the venue for the first time in nearly two years as part of the World’s Strongest Man Qualifying Tour.

The first show took place at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this month – where the Max Axle Press world record was sensationally broken by Burkina Faso’s Iron Biby with an extraordinary 217kg lift.

The first Strongman event at the hall in 120 years, dubbed The Strongman Classic, was won by 2020 World’s Strongest Man Oleksii Novikov from the Ukraine. America’s Evan Singleton came close behind in second with Biby in third.

The focus now shifts to Manchester for the World Deadlift Championships – which will feature as Event 1 of The World Open.

$50,000 is being offered to any man who can lift 505kg and set a new Deadlift world record.

The current record is now with former Game of Thrones star and 2018 World’s Strongest Man Hafthor Björnsson, who lifted 501kg in his Iceland gym in May 2020.

Many of the world’s leading deadlifters are aiming to break the record alongside seasoned Strongman competitors. 

Following the deadlift event, the competition moves to Viking Press, Medley, Hammer Hold and the Atlas Stones competitions – with the eventual winner of the Giants Live World Open receiving an invite to The World’s Strongest Man 2022. 

Tickets for The World Open & World Deadlift Championships are on sale now via the AO Arena Manchester box office and Ticketmaster.co.uk

The AO Arena will be operating under the most up to date Government guidance and legislation in place supported by ASM Global’s environmental hygiene protocol VenueShield. For full details on visiting the AO Arena, please visit their website.