2020 Arnold Strongman Classic

2020 Arnold Strongman Classic

Host city	Columbus, United States
Winner	Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
Nations participating	7
Athletes participating	10
← 2019

The 2020 Arnold Strongman Classic was a strongman contest that took place in Columbus, Ohio, from March 6–7, 2020 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The Arnold Strongman Classic is the finale of the Arnold Strongman Tour and is seen as one of the biggest and most prestigious strongmen events on the circuit.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's competition was closed to general spectators with the crowd consisting of the athletes' family or team members.^[1]

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson won the competition for the third time, becoming only the second man to win the competition three consecutive times after Žydrūnas Savickas (six, 2003–08), with Mateusz Kieliszkowski finishing close behind in second place, despite winning 4 of the 6 events outright.

Qualifying[]

To qualify for the Arnold Strongman Classic, athletes have to either win a sanctioned event on the Arnold Classic Tour or gain enough points to be invited through a wildcard system. Athletes that qualified and their method for qualification are as follows:^[2]

Name	Nationality	Method of Qualification
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson		2019 Arnold Strongman Classic Champion
Rob Kearney		2019 Arnold Classic Australia Champion
		2019 Arnold Amateur World Champion
Oleksii Novikov		2019 Arnold Classic South America Champion
Mateusz Kieliszkowski		2019 Arnold Classic Africa Runner-Up
JF Caron		2019 Arnold Pro Strongman Forts Warwick Champion
Mikhail Shivlyakov		2019 Arnold Pro Strongman Europe Fourth-Place Finisher
Martins Licis		2020 Arnold Pro Strongman USA Champion
Matjaz Belsak		First Place, Season Qualifying Points
Jerry Pritchett		Second Place, Season Qualifying Points

Event Results[]

Event 1: Trial by Stone[]

• Weight: 1 x 124.75 kilograms (275.0 lb) stone overhead press, 1 x 136 kilograms (300 lb) stone overhead press, 1 x 165.5 kilograms (365 lb) natural stone load, 1 x 181.5 kilograms (400 lb) natural stone load, 1 x 186 kilograms (410 lb) Husafell Stone carry.
• Time Limit: 60 seconds per stone.
• Course Length: 15.25 metres (50.0 ft)
• Notes: Stones must be attempted in ascending order. Each stone apparatus is worth a differing number of points. The order of the event will be determined by number of points, then time.

#	Name	Nationality	Points	Event Pts	Overall Pts
1	Mateusz Kieliszkowski	Poland	10 in 0m 53.72	10	10
2	Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson	Iceland	10 in 0m 55.47	9	9
3		United States	10 in 2m 11.00	8	8
4	JF Caron	Canada	10 in 2m 19.00	7	7
5	Oleksii Novikov	Ukraine	8	6	6
6		United States	7	4.5	4.5
6	Martins Licis	United States	7	4.5	4.5
8		United States	2	3	3
9	Matjaz Belsak	Slovenia	1	1.5	1.5
9	Mikhail Shivlyakov	Russia	1	1.5	1.5

^[3]

Event 2: Bag Over Bar[]

• Weight: 25–50 kilograms (55–110 lb) going up in 2.25 kilograms (5.0 lb) increments.
• Bar Height: 4.5 metres (15 ft)
• Time Limit: 30 seconds per throw
• Notes: All athletes start at 25 kilograms (55 lb). Athletes are allowed to skip weights.

#	Name	Nationality	Weight Thrown	Event Pts	Overall Pts
1	Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson	Iceland	41 kilograms (90 lb)	10	19
2	Mikhail Shivlyakov	Russia	38.5 kilograms (85 lb)	9	10.5
3	JF Caron	Canada	34 kilograms (75 lb)	7.5	14.5
3	Mateusz Kieliszkowski	Poland	34 kilograms (75 lb)	7.5	17.5
5	Martins Licis	United States	31.75 kilograms (70.0 lb)	6	10.5
6		United States	25 kilograms (55 lb)	3.5	11.5
6	Oleksii Novikov	Ukraine	25 kilograms (55 lb)	3.5	9.5
6		United States	25 kilograms (55 lb)	3.5	6.5
6		United States	25 kilograms (55 lb)	3.5	8
10	Matjaz Belsak	Slovenia	N/A	1	2.5

^[4]

Event 3: Wheel of Pain[]

• Weight: 9,072 kilograms (20,000 lb) for max distance.
• Time Limit: 60 seconds.
• Notes: Athletes are only to push using their hands and shoulders. Neck usage is not allowed.

#	Name	Nationality	Distance	Event Pts	Overall Pts
1	Mateusz Kieliszkowski	Poland	34.138 metres (112.00 ft)	10	27.5
2	Martins Licis	United States	31.090 metres (102.00 ft)	9	19.5
3	Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson	Iceland	30.886 metres (101.33 ft)	8	27
4	Oleksii Novikov	Ukraine	27.661 metres (90.75 ft)	7	16.5
5		United States	23.978 metres (78.67 ft)	6	17.5
6	Matjaz Belsak	Slovenia	23.546 metres (77.25 ft)	5	7.5
7		United States	22.022 metres (72.25 ft)	4	12
8		United States	21.387 metres (70.17 ft)	3	9.5
9	JF Caron	Canada	19.279 metres (63.25 ft)	2	16.5
10	Mikhail Shivlyakov	Russia	14.580 metres (47.83 ft)	1	11.5

^[5]

Event 4: Elephant Bar Deadlift[]

• Time Limit: 60 seconds per lift
• Notes: 3 lifts per athlete. Figure-8 straps and deadlift suit are not allowed.

#	Name	Nationality	Weight Lifted	Event Pts	Overall Pts
1	Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson	Iceland	465 kilograms (1,025 lb)	10	37
2	JF Caron	Canada	434 kilograms (957 lb)	9	25.5
3	Mikhail Shivlyakov	Russia	427 kilograms (941 lb)	8	19.5
4		United States	420 kilograms (930 lb)	7	16.5
5		United States	418 kilograms (922 lb)	6	23.5
6	Martins Licis	United States	411 kilograms (906 lb)	4.5	24
6		United States	411 kilograms (906 lb)	4.5	16.5
8	Mateusz Kieliszkowski	Poland	402 kilograms (886 lb)	3	30.5
9	Oleksii Novikov	Ukraine	372 kilograms (820 lb)	2	18.5
10	Matjaz Belsak	Slovenia	N/A	1	8.5

^[6]

Event 5: Frame Carry[]

• Weight: 400 kilograms (880 lb)
• Course Length: 10.7 metres (35 ft) ramp
• Time Limit: 30 seconds
• Notes: No straps are allowed. Fastest time wins, then distance.

#	Name	Nationality	Time	Event Pts	Overall Pts
1	Mateusz Kieliszkowski	Poland	0m 7.00	10	40.5
2		United States	0m 10.31	9	25.5
3	Martins Licis	United States	0m 17.37	8	32
4	Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson	Iceland	DNF 9.754 metres (32.00 ft)	7	44
5	JF Caron	Canada	DNF 8.077 metres (26.50 ft)	6	31.5
6	Mikhail Shivlyakov	Russia	DNF 5.867 metres (19.25 ft)	5	24.5
7	Oleksii Novikov	Ukraine	DNF 4.216 metres (13.83 ft)	4	22.5
8		United States	DNF 3.175 metres (10.42 ft)	3	19.5
9	Matjaz Belsak	Slovenia	DNF 2.591 metres (8 ft 6.0 in)	2	10.5
10		United States	N/A	1	24.5

^[7]

Event 6: Strategic Cyr Dumbbell Challenge[]

• Weight: 124.3–149.5 kilograms (274–330 lb)
• Time Limit: 90 seconds

#	Name	Nationality	Repetitions	Event Pts	Overall Pts
1	Mateusz Kieliszkowski	Poland	1 rep 145 kilograms (320 lb)	10	50.5
2	Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson	Iceland	1 rep 136 kilograms (300 lb)	8.5	52.5
2	Oleksii Novikov	Ukraine	1 rep 136 kilograms (300 lb)	8.5	31
4	Matjaz Belsak	Slovenia	1 rep 127 kilograms (280 lb)	7	17.5
5	Martins Licis	United States	1 rep 124.3 kilograms (274 lb)	4.5	36.5
5	Mikhail Shivlyakov	Russia	1 rep 124.3 kilograms (274 lb)	4.5	29
5		United States	1 rep 124.3 kilograms (274 lb)	4.5	24
5		United States	1 rep 124.3 kilograms (274 lb)	4.5	29
9		United States	N/A	1.5	27
9	JF Caron	Canada	N/A	1.5	33

^ Mateusz Kieliszkowski's lift of 145 kilograms (320 lb) is a new record for single Cyr dumbbell press.

^[8]

Final Standings[]

#	Name	Nationality	Pts
1	Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson	Iceland	52.5
2	Mateusz Kieliszkowski	Poland	50.5
3	Martins Licis	United States	36.5
4	JF Caron	Canada	33
5	Oleksii Novikov	Ukraine	31
6	Mikhail Shivlyakov	Russia	29
7		United States	29
8		United States	27
9		United States	24
10	Matjaz Belsak	Slovenia	17.5

^[9]

References[]