This will be a three-way battle, says world’s strongest man

Dubai: The world’s strongest man has tipped a three-way battle for honours when the inaugural edition of the World’s Ultimate Strongman (WUS) is held at the Bab Al Shams Arena on October 26.

Aptly named ‘Beasts in the Middle East’, the daylong event will be held under the auspices of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) with Core Worldwide collaborating to put it together with Envie Events. And Edward Hall — the 2017 World’s Strongest Man — felt that the tussle for the title will be among the trio of Poland’s Mateusz Kieliszkowski, American Brian Shaw and Iceland’s Hafthor Julius Bjornsson.

Edward Hall and Saeed Hareb announce the details of the inaugural World’s Ultimate Strongman in Dubai on Tuesday.

“I am convinced that these three will be in the fray for the title on October 26,” Hall told Gulf News after releasing details of the inaugural event in the presence of Saeed Hareb, general secretary of the DSC, on Tuesday.

“This will be a once-in-a-lifetime occasion with international athletes of unfathomable power performing feats of incredible strength, speed and conditioning such as pulling aeroplanes and trucks. There will be something for everyone from the family on the day of the event,” he added.

The WUS is expected to a festival for all ages with all activities revolving around fun, games, an obstacle course, a roller rink, strength tests and arts and crafts. “Along with these activities, the festival will also have a variety of unlimited food and beverage buffets, a food truck-styled food court, live music and entertainment,” he said.

Called ‘The Beast’, Hall became the first Brit in more than 20 years to win the World’s Strongest Man last year. This was a first for Great Britain since Gary Taylor won the crown way back in 1993. Hall also used the platform to inform he would be retiring from the sport at an international level, but would continue competing at the domestic level in the UK.

“I will be involved as a coordinator in this richest-ever competition,” Hall disclosed.

“But with a field that includes some of the strongest men in the world we can only hope for an exciting and entertaining competition in the last week of October,” the 29-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent added.

Joining the early favourites in Dubai will be the likes of Zydrunas Savickas from Lithuania, Konstantine Janashia from Georgia, Terry Hollands from the UK, American Robert Oberst and Burkina Faso’s Cheick Ahmad Al Hassan Sanou (or Iron Biby).

“We organise more than 400 sporting events each year, and there is no doubt that this is one of the most attractive on our annual calendar for 2018. It is the family and fitness concept that will appeal to the people of the UAE,” Hareb added.