Any bets? Well, you know I've almost never seen him fail at logs.
I think, I think he could do it.
We go to the tallest man, what Lalas does looks very good indeed.
He's playing with everybody at the moment, that is the greatest lift ever in
strongman for a long. Big Z, you held the record already, was
there ever any doubt that you would get that weight?
I am very happy,
It was very heavyweight! Europe's Strongest man is taking place
on a rather wet English day at Headingley Carnegie Stadium, the home
of the Leeds Rhinos. The crowd is the largest ever recorded
at a Giants Live event, nearly 6 000 packed into the old stand,
everyone who's everyone in the strength game is here, even the Hulkster
makes an appearance. The top three not only get World's Strongest man
qualification but, the winner gets a brand new four by
four too. The man who everyone sees as the
favourite for the win is Zydrunas Savickas gets the biggest cheer of all, his friend
and fellow Lithuanian Vytautas Lalas gives us his opinion about what's in
store. [Applause]
Vytautas Lalas, I'm from Lithuania, now I live in Dublin, I'm here to win Europe's Strongest Man
well this competition is going to be very tough I think,
five or four guys well, may hit 200 and it's going to be very exciting and I
believe somebody will try to go for the world
record as well, it's the world record will be 216 kilos.
And I think only probably two guys can do that at this point.
Big z, one of them that's for sure and second guy
is Krzysztof I think. Terry he's good but Laurence is getting better every year
[Music] [Applause]
I know a lot about rivalries because in Lithuania we have the same stuff going on
between me, Big Z and Vidas Blekaitis, and Laurence is a
big threat even to this Europe's Strongest Man.
I think he can hit even 200 kilos log from his performance in the British
Strongest Man, I think he's very impressive you know, what he does
lifting logs and all, he's very explosive, very fast and I think he can be a
winner as well. [Music]
The lineup, then European champion Savickas needs little introduction
Laurence Shahlaei of Gloucester Britain's Strongest man, Terry Hollands from
Dartford third of the World's last year. Vytautas
Lalas of Lithuania, a World's Strongest Man finalist in
2011. Krzysztof Radzikowski, Poland's Strongest
man, the six foot 10 inch Thor Bjornsson
Iceland's Strongest man, Serbia's Strongest man, Erving Katona,
Jay Hughes, winner of the English Championships
[Music] [Applause]
Scotland's strongest man, Ken Nowicki
Ireland's strongest man, James Fennelly [Music]
the UK's strongest man Ed Hall and Italy's strongest man, Alex Curletto.
Over now to Colin Bryce and first, Paul Dickenson to tell us what awaits in
event one. So 12 of the World's Strongest Men
getting ready to compete in front of the World's
biggest crowd at a strongman competition.
And this is one of the most legally awaited events 160 kilos, the starting
weight for log lift, a rising bar and that world record of
215 could be beaten here today. Jay Hughes
his best attempt, 160 kilos.
Katona 160 kilos as well the Sserbian just failing on his next weight.
Nowicki not off to an auspicious start, he failed his opening weight of 160,
and Terry Hollands though got 160 and then failed 180
kilos, Laurence Shahlaei attempted a new British record figure of 192 and a half
but failed it just. Well the bar has risen now to 205 kilos,
four men left in the competition.
We go to the tallest man at two meters and five centimeters,
Bjornsson rolling the bar around that massive chest, this is a
prodigious weight, he's got to steady himself.
One attempt, he's still got time on the clock but his best lift remains at 192
and a half, so what can we do this time. Radzikowski
attempting 205. This is a massive weight! And it would be a polish record as well
his own record 200 kilograms or rolls it up easily, what powerful
arms this guy has got! that was very impressive!
He too could contend at the world record figures of 215,
that may come in just a little while but here
goes Lalas. We heard what he said right at the beginning of the program about
Big Z's ability in this event, what does Lala's got our last looks
very good indeed! Totally psyched up for even more!
There's some big people in the audience too,
[Music] Well I shudder to say it, but watch how
easy Savickas lifts this weight.
The calm before the storm, easy, drives it,
that was consummate in terms of his lifting ability.
Looks so, so good! Well still 10 kilos below his own world record,
phenomenal Savickas, the strongest shoulders in the world.
[Applause] Well 216 kilos has been asked for
now, not just by one man but by a few. Three men left in the competition
Radzikowski is the first and if this weight goes up
if any one of them gets it, you just suspect the
bar will go even higher.
That looks good, way over 450 pounds, can't quite get the balance though.
oh! just failed it, so his best lift remains at 205 kilos but nevertheless
good points. oh here goes, Lalas.
Two Lithuanians left in the competition both with a chance of equaling
each other but more importantly breaking the World record,
a one kilo advance on Savickas is world record but Lalas can't do it either.
So just so Savickas left in this competition to try and break his
own world record by a kilogram. Any bet? well you know i've almost never seen him fail
a log, so I think I think he could do it. Well it might be
the smallest of margins in terms of an increase of a world record,
you just get the feeling, he's playing with everybody at the moment...
that is the greatest lift ever in strongman for a long!
Absolutely fabulous and the crowd erupts.
Brilliant! to his chest without a problem and he didn't hang around, popped it off
a little bit of a wobble there, but then he locked it out, good lift!
The record stays with Big Z, he's done it again.
Ladies and gentlemen, our new world record holder
Big Z, you held the record already was there ever any doubt that you would get
that weight?
I am very happy
It was very heavyweight, i mean there was la las and christoph
were you know were looking strong as well were you concerned at all that
maybe they could take your title away from you?
uh! very good, that we have Vytautas and Krzysztof in
this competition, then they pressed me to to lift world
record. You know... thanks, thanks for them! great,
well it's good to have competition and obviously, there's such a great crowd
here today, I mean how much did that spur you on?
thank you very much! well a big round of applause for Big Z
our world record holder! well a truly brilliant start then to z's
European title defense, the veteran of the contest dishing out a
lesson to the youngsters, slightly disappointing for Terry
Hollands in sixth, Laurence Shahlaei meanwhile just missing out on the Brit
record of 192.5 kilos in fifth. Well after the break we're back
with the deadlift, a great test of lower back strength and maybe
another world record opportunity.