2026 World’s Strongest Man Day 1 Qualifier takes place on Thursday – here’s our complete breakdown & live results.
The 2026 World’s Strongest Man returns to Myrtle Beach from April 23-26. It begins on Thursday with the first day of qualifiers that will go a long way in deciding the competitors that make it to the finals.
The qualifying round of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man will consist of two days — taking place on Thursday and Friday, and our team at Generation Iron is covering it all. The athletes will be separated in five groups where they will take part in events to compete for points. From there, 10 athletes will qualify for the finals over the weekend.
[RELATED: How to Watch the 2026 World’s Strongest Man]
2026 World’s Strongest Man: Day One Events
- Event 1 – Carry & Climb
- Event 2 – Circus Press Medley
- Event 3 – Squat Lift
2026 World’s Strongest Man Leaderboard
| Rank | Name | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | ||
| 1 | Rayno Nel (RSA) | 11 |
| 2 | Luke Richardson (GBR) | 10 |
| 3 | Ben Glasscock (GBR) | 9 |
| 4 | Nick Guardione (USA) | 9 |
| 5 | Tristain Hoath (CAN) | 6 |
| Group 2 | ||
| 1 | Austin Andrade (MEX) | 12 |
| 2 | Mathew Ragg (NZL) | 12 |
| 3 | Tom Stoltman (GBR) | 8 |
| 4 | Jaco Schoonwinkel (RSA) | 7 |
| 5 | Levi Strong (USA) | 6 |
| Group 3 | ||
| 1 | Mitchell Hooper (CAN) | 12 |
| 2 | Lucas Hatton (USA) | 11 |
| 3 | Eddie Williams (AUS) | 11 |
| 4 | Matyas Funiok (CZE) | 6 |
| 5 | Paddy Haynes (GBR) | 5 |
| Group 4 | ||
| 1 | Ondrej Fojtu (CZE) | 14 |
| 2 | Bryce Johnson (USA) | 10 |
| 3 | Martins Licis (LVA) | 10 |
| 4 | James Jeffers (CAN) | 7 |
| 5 | Kevin Hazeleger (NED) | 4 |
| 6 | Adam Bishop (GBR) | Withdrew |
| Group 5 | ||
| 1 | Trey Mitchell (USA) | 11 |
| 2 | Evan Singleton (USA) | 10 |
| 3 | Pavlo Kordiyaka (UKR) | 9 |
| 4 | Andrew Flynn (GBR) | 8.5 |
| 5 | Evans Nana (GHA) | 6.5 |
2026 World’s Strongest Man: Day One Qualifier Results
The first day of qualifiers will feature three events. This is the first of two qualifiers as competitors work to rack up points in order to move onto the finals.
Carry & Climb
The opening event of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man throws competitors straight into a grueling test, combining two demanding challenges back-to-back. Athletes begin by carrying a pair of 140-kilogram (308.6-pound) Farmer’s Walk implements over a 33-meter course. Immediately after, they move on to the Power Stairs, lifting 225 kilograms (496 pounds) up nine steps. The entire sequence must be completed within a strict 75-second time limit.
Group One
- Rayno Nel — 37.06 seconds
- Nick Guardione — 43.91 seconds
- Tristain Hoath — 46.78 seconds
- Luke Richardson — 60.34 seconds
- Ben Glasscock — 65.68 seconds
Group Two
- Mathew Ragg — 38.29 seconds
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 38.80 seconds
- Levi Strong — 51.84 seconds
- Austin Andrade — 53.85 seconds
- Tom Stoltman — 70.21 seconds
Group Three
- Eddie Williams — 37.88 seconds
- Mitchell Hooper — 39.64 seconds
- Paddy Haynes — 46.21 seconds
- Matyáš Funiok — 47.58 seconds
- Lucas Hatton — 50.16 seconds
Group Four
- Ondrej Fojtu — 38.22 seconds
- Bryce Johnson — 41.53 seconds
- James Jeffers — 43.91 seconds
- Kevin Hazeleger — 45.78 seconds
- Martins Licis — 46.08 seconds
- Adam Bishop — Withdrew
Group Five
- Evan Singleton — 38.58 seconds
- Andrew Flynn — 51.95 seconds
- Evans Nana — 54.62 seconds
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 6 in 74.05 seconds
- Trey Mitchell — 22 meters
Circus Press Medley
The second event of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man presents another demanding medley, pushing athletes through a series of escalating lifts. Competitors begin with an 80-kilogram (176.4-pound) dumbbell, then advance to a heavier 90-kilogram (198.4-pound) version.
Those who successfully complete both move on to an even more challenging 100-kilogram (220.5-pound) dumbbell for an overhead press. The test concludes with a 159-kilogram (350.5-pound) barbell, which athletes must lift for as many repetitions as possible within a 75-second time limit.
Group One
- Ben Glasscock — 6 in 62.78 seconds
- Nick Guardione — 5 in 44.50 seconds
- Luke Richardson — 5 in 53.29 seconds
- Rayno Nel — 4 in 26.11 seconds
- Tristain Hoath — 2 in 16.84 seconds
Group Two
- Austin Andrade — 6 in 59.33 seconds
- Tom Stoltman — 5 in 50.76 seconds
- Mathew Ragg — 5 in 61.15 seconds
- Levi Strong — 4 in 70.35 seconds
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 3 in 42.16 seconds
Group Three
- Lucas Hatton — 8 in 74.60 seconds
- Mitchell Hooper — 7 in 58.47 seconds
- Eddie Williams — 5 in 55.47 seconds
- Matyáš Funiok — 5 in 61.38 seconds
- Paddy Haynes — 5 in 70.15 seconds
Group Four
- Ondrej Fojtu — 8 in 64.87 seconds
- Martins Licis — 6 in 63.21 seconds
- Bryce Johnson — 4 in 40.97 seconds
- James Jeffers — 4 in 44.52 seconds
- Kevin Hazeleger — 3 in 29.97 seconds
Group Five
- Trey Mitchell — 8 in 71.72 seconds
- Evan Singleton — 7 in 73.61 seconds
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 6 in 59.85 seconds
- Andrew Flynn — 6 in 63.56 seconds
- Evans Nana — 4 in 69.36 seconds
Squat Lift
The opening qualifying day of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man wraps up with the Squat Lift, a movement rarely featured in modern strongman that now makes its return to the sport’s biggest stage. Its unpredictability adds to the challenge, as little has been revealed about how athletes have prepared for it. Set at a formidable 320 kilograms (705.5 pounds), competitors must perform as many repetitions as possible within a one-minute time limit.
Group One
- Luke Richardson — 16 reps
- Rayno Nel — 13 reps
- Ben Glasscock — 10 reps
- Tristain Hoath — 7 reps
- Nick Guardione — 6 reps
Group Two
- Austin Andrade — 16 reps
- Mathew Ragg — 15 reps
- Tom Stoltman — 12 reps
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 10 reps
- Levi Strong — 5 reps
Group Three
- Lucas Hatton — 17 reps
- Mitchell Hooper — 12 reps
- Eddie Williams — 11 reps
- Matyáš Funiok — 7 reps
- Paddy Haynes — 6 reps
Group Four
- Lucas Hatton — 17 reps
- Mitchell Hooper — 12 reps
- Eddie Williams — 11 reps
- Matyáš Funiok — 7 reps
- Paddy Haynes — 6 reps
Group Five
- Trey Mitchell — 15 reps
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 14 reps
- Evans Nana — 12 reps
- Andrew Flynn — 12 reps
- Evan Singleton — 8 reps
2026 World’s Strongest Man Schedule
The 2026 WSM will featured a total of 10 intense events spread out across four days. They are designed to test the strength of competitors in many ways including endurance, technique, and grip.
Qualifying Stage – Day 1 (Thursday, April 23)
- Carry & Climb – 10:00 am
- Circus Press Medley – 1:30 pm
- Squat Lift – 4:30 pm
Qualifying Stage – Day 2 (Friday, April 24)
- Truck Pull – 10:00 am
- Natural Stone Medley – 3:30 pm
Final – Day 1 (Saturday, April 25)
- KNAACK Monster Box Flip & Carry – 10:00 am
- Deadlift – 1:00 pm
- Titan’s Toss – 3:00 pm
Final – Day 2 (Sunday, April 26)
- Max Log – 10:00 am
- Atlas Stones – 1:30 pm
For all updates from the 2026 World’s Strongest Man, follow Generation Iron on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
