2026 Strongman Open and World Deadlift Championships: Lineup and Events

The 2026 Strongman Open and World Deadlift Championships take place Saturday, September 5, at Utilita Arena Birmingham. Giants Live has combined the deadlift title with a full five-event strongman contest, so the opening record chase can shape—but not decide—the overall standings.

The organizer's central storyline is Hafþór Björnsson defending both his deadlift crown and the Strongman Open title. Giants Live says he set a 510-kilogram deadlift mark at the previous edition and returns after recent misses at 515 and 511 kilograms. Those attempts show intent, not a guarantee. The bar still has to reach a valid lockout under the competition standard.

Official athlete lineup

Giants Live lists 13 athletes. Björnsson leads the field alongside Mexico's Raul Flores, whose cited 480-kilogram best and recent heavy training make him the most obvious record-chase rival.

The roster also includes three-time World's Strongest Man Tom Stoltman; Trey Mitchell, a former World Deadlift Championship winner; Evan Singleton; Bryce Johnson; Austin Andrade; Adam Bishop; Nick Guardione; James Jeffers; Evans Nana; Paddy Haynes; and Gavin Bilton.

The lineup mixes specialist pulling power with athletes who can score across moving, pressing, throwing, and stone events. That matters because a spectacular first event can create a lead, but four different tests remain.

Event one: World Deadlift Championships

The deadlift opens the contest at a stated starting weight of 400 kilograms. Giants Live says athletes will lift in pairs through early rounds before action moves to a single platform at the highest weights. Exact increments were still to be confirmed in the organizer's preview.

In a rising-bar format, attempt selection is strategic. Passing a weight preserves energy but increases the cost of a miss. Taking every available jump may secure points while draining grip, back, and hamstrings before the rest of the contest.

Björnsson owns the headline because of the 510-kilogram benchmark. Flores brings a credible challenge, while Mitchell, Johnson, Andrade, Bishop, Bilton, and others have established big-pull credentials. Still, the world-record discussion should not erase the event points. A safe successful lift can matter more to the overall title than a failed swing at history.

Event two: Load and Push

The second event changes the demand immediately. Athletes must carry a 120-kilogram anvil for 10 metres, a 100-kilogram tyre for 15 metres, and a 140-kilogram sack for 20 metres, loading each into a wheelbarrow. They then push the loaded barrow 20 metres back down the course.

This is a test of foot speed, pickup efficiency, positioning, and the ability to keep moving under rising fatigue. A deadlift specialist can lose much of an early advantage through slow transitions or a poor wheelbarrow line. Athletes with strong moving-event technique can recover points quickly.

Event three: Titan's Toss

Ten 30-pound sandbags are placed at distances from seven to 12 metres from a 12-foot bar. The bags must be thrown in order, starting with the nearest.

The unusual variable is distance rather than rising implement weight. Athletes need consistent height while adjusting trajectory as the bags move farther away. Giants Live notes that the same variation appeared at the 2026 World's Strongest Man final and that no athlete completed all ten there. A full run in Birmingham would therefore be a significant performance even outside the deadlift spotlight.

Event four: 100-kilogram dumbbell for reps

The fourth event uses a single 100-kilogram dumbbell for maximum repetitions rather than a ladder. The organizer cites Mateusz Kieliszkowski's nine-repetition performance from the 2019 World Tour Finals as the mark that has not been bettered in this format.

By this stage, shoulders, triceps, torso, and breathing have already been taxed by three events. Efficient cleaning and a stable receiving position can save seconds and reduce wasted effort. A no-rep becomes especially expensive in a fixed-time repetition contest.

Event five: Castle Water Stones

Five stones from 120 to 200 kilograms close the show. The stones must be loaded to platforms, creating the familiar strongman finale in which placements can change in seconds.

Giants Live highlights Björnsson and Stoltman as historically elite stone lifters. The organizer also points to Björnsson's 17.54-second run at the 2017 Europe's Strongest Man as a benchmark. Historical speed does not decide a current heat, but it explains why the final event could favor athletes still within striking distance of the title.

How to read the competition

Watch two leaderboards at once. The deadlift produces its own championship, while the cumulative points determine the Strongman Open winner. One athlete can take the deadlift title and another the overall contest.

Also separate announced attempts from completed lifts. The prospect of 511, 515, or more kilograms is compelling, but the verified competition result is what matters. The official livestream and organizer's results should be the source for any final record claim.

Scoring context matters after every heat. Strongman points are awarded by placing, so the gap between neighboring athletes can be more important than the raw margin in kilograms, repetitions, or seconds. A competitor who limits damage on a weaker event may remain in the title race, while a single last-place finish can outweigh the benefit of winning a favored discipline.

Finally, look for recovery across event types. Heavy pulling can compromise the posterior chain for the wheelbarrow and stones. A fast load-and-push effort can raise fatigue before the toss. The 100-kilogram dumbbell punishes any loss of upper-body stability. The champion is likely to be the athlete who converts specialization into points without allowing one weaker event to become a collapse.

The September 5 show is built around a record chase, yet its design rewards complete strongman skill. The first bar may create history. The next four events will decide who leaves Birmingham with the overall title.