Canadian man crowned as the strongest man alive

At a major international Strongman competition this past weekend, history was made when a Canadian flag was raised to the top of the podium. The World’s Strongest Man (WSM) title was won on Sunday, April 23 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, by Mitchell “Moose” Hooper of Barrie, Ontario.

In the tense finals, Hooper defeated nine opponents from the United States, Ukraine, South Africa, United Kingdom, and Australia. In the 46-year history of the competition, he is also the first Canadian to win the title of Strongest Man Alive. Hooper had previously competed in the SBD World’s Strongest Man competition in 2022, where he placed eighth after being selected as a last-minute replacement. But over the last year, he’s been on a winning streak, placing first at the Shaw Classic, World Open, and 2022 Giants Live Strongman Classic. Additionally, he took first place at the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic UK, the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic in Ohio, and The Giants Live World Tour Finals.

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Hooper took first place in his qualifying group and three of the six events in the final round (Shield Carry, Bus Pull, and Deadlift), while tied for first place in the Max Dumbbell Press, in this year’s podium-topping effort. Hooper has a kinesiology clinic in Barrie and the motto on his website is “Lift Heavy, Be Kind.” According to his interview with USA Today, he wants to spread the message that exercise may be used as a preventative measure to stave off illness, injury, and other ills.

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