| Competition Name: | 2021 World's Strongest Man |
| Dates: | 15–20 June 2021 |
| Venue: | Old Sacramento Waterfront |
| Location: | Sacramento, California |
| Country: |  |
| Athletes Participating: | 25 |
| Nations Participating: | 11 |
| Winner: | Tom Stoltman |
| Prev: | Bradenton 2020 |
| Next: | Sacramento 2022 |
The 2021 World's Strongest Man was the 44th edition of the World's Strongest Man competition, an event that took place in Sacramento, California from June 15 to June 20, 2021.[1] The defending champion was Oleksii Novikov of Ukraine, though he failed to progress to the final after coming fourth in his heat. In so doing, he became the first World's Strongest Man reigning champion to compete at the following year's event and fail to qualify for the final since Magnús Ver Magnússon in the 1997 competition. The contest was won by Tom Stoltman who improved on his second place finish the previous year.[2] Four-time champion Brian Shaw came second, returning to the podium after a 2 year absence, and Canada's Maxime Boudreault came third.[3]
Graham Hicks of the UK withdrew the day before the competition began, and was replaced by Ervin Toots of Estonia. As a result, Gavin Bilton of the UK was moved from group 5 to group 1, and Toots took Bilton's place in group 5.[4]
Luke Richardson suffered a biceps injury during the first day of competition and withdrew.[5]
Terry Hollands suffered an injury during day 1 of the heats, and withdrew after 2 events.
Chris van der Linde also withdrew from the competition after 2 events.
The contest is divided in a qualifying round and finals. There are ten finals participants, and in 2021 they include:[6]
The 25 athletes were divided into 5 groups of 5 athletes, with 2 athletes from each group progressing to the final of 10. The winner of each group progressed to the final, and 2nd and 3rd in each group would then advance to a 'Stone Off', from which the winner would also progress.
| Name | Nationality | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Shaw | | 19.5 | |
| 2 | Maxime Boudreault |  | 17 | |
| 3 | 16.5 | |||
| 4 | 12 | |||
| 5 | Travis Ortmayer | | 10 |
Stone Off
| Name | Nationality | Stones | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxime Boudreault | | 7 | |
| Aivars Smaukstelis | 7 |
| Name | Nationality | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 19 | ||
| 2 | Tom Stoltman |  | 18 | |
| 3 | Mark Felix | 14 | ||
| 4 | | 13 | ||
| 5 | Johnny Hansson |  | 11 |
Stone Off
| Name | Nationality | Stones | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Stoltman | | 5 | |
| Mark Felix | 5 |
| Name | Nationality | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JF Caron | | 20 | |
| 2 | Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð |  | 17 | |
| 3 | Robert Oberst | | 16 | |
| 4 | Mikhail Shivlyakov |  | 15 | |
| 5 | Luke Richardson | 1 (injured) |
Stone Off
| Name | Nationality | Stones | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð | | 5 | |
| Robert Oberst | | 5 |
| Name | Nationality | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Konstantine Janashia |  | 21 | |
| 2 | Adam Bishop | 17 | ||
| 3 | | 15 | ||
| 4 | Terry Hollands | 7 (injured) | ||
| 5 | Chris van der Linde | 3 (withdrew) |
Stone Off
| Name | Nationality | Stones | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Bishop | 2 | ||
| 2 |
| Name | Nationality | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bobby Thompson | | 18 | |
| 2 | Luke Stoltman | | 18 | |
| 3 | | 17 | ||
| 4 | Oleksii Novikov |  | 17 | |
| 5 | Ervin Toots |  | 5 |
Stone Off
| Name | Nationality | Stones | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luke Stoltman | | 7 | |
| Kevin Faires | | 7 |
| Name | Nationality | Time (sec) | Event Pts | Overall Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Stoltman | 18.36 | 10 | 10 | ||
| 2 | Konstantine Janashia | | 20.31 | 9 | 9 | |
| 3 | Brian Shaw | | 20.53 | 8 | 8 | |
| 4 | Luke Stoltman | 20.72 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 5 | JF Caron | | 21.31 | 6 | 6 | |
| 6 | Adam Bishop | 22.39 | 5 | 5 | ||
| 7 | Bobby Thompson | | 25.06 | 4 | 4 | |
| 8 | Maxime Boudreault | | 31.43 | 3 | 3 | |
| 9 | | 45.61 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 10 | Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð | | DNF | 1 | 1 |
| Name | Nationality | Time | Event Pts | Overall Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Stoltman | 0m 46.89 | 10 | 20 | ||
| 2 | | 0m 52.34 | 9 | 11 | ||
| 3 | Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð | | 0m 52.83 | 8 | 9 | |
| 4 | Maxime Boudreault | | 0m 55.16 | 7 | 10 | |
| 5 | Luke Stoltman | 0m 55.94 | 6 | 13 | ||
| 6 | Brian Shaw | | 0m 56.73 | 5 | 13 | |
| 7 | Adam Bishop | 0m 57.78 | 4 | 9 | ||
| 8 | JF Caron | | 0m 57.84 | 3 | 9 | |
| 9 | Konstantine Janashia | | 1m 0.15 | 2 | 11 | |
| 10 | Bobby Thompson | | 1m 2.31 | 1 | 5 |
| Name | Nationality | Height | Event Pts | Overall Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Shaw | | 10 | 23 | ||
| 2 | Tom Stoltman | 8.5 | 28.5 | |||
| 2 | Maxime Boudreault | | 8.5 | 18.5 | ||
| 4 | Konstantine Janashia | | 7 | 18 | ||
| 5 | Luke Stoltman | 4 | 17 | |||
| 5 | JF Caron | | 4 | 13 | ||
| 5 | Adam Bishop | 4 | 13 | |||
| 5 | Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð | | 4 | 13 | ||
| 5 | Bobby Thompson | | 4 | 9 | ||
| 10 | | 1 | 12 |
| Name | Nationality | Weight | Event Pts | Overall Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luke Stoltman | 10 | 27 | |||
| 2 | Maxime Boudreault | | 8 | 26.5 | ||
| 2 | | 8 | 20 | |||
| 2 | Bobby Thompson | | 8 | 17 | ||
| 5 | Brian Shaw | | 5 | 28 | ||
| 5 | Konstantine Janashia | | 5 | 23 | ||
| 5 | JF Caron | | 5 | 18 | ||
| 8 | Tom Stoltman | 2.5 | 31 | |||
| 8 | Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð | | 2.5 | 15.5 | ||
| 10 | Adam Bishop | 1 | 14 |
| Name | Nationality | Repetitions | Event Pts | Overall Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 10 | 9 | 29 | ||
| 1 | JF Caron | | 10 | 9 | 27 | |
| 1 | Adam Bishop | 10 | 9 | 23 | ||
| 4 | Brian Shaw | | 9 | 6.5 | 34.5 | |
| 4 | Bobby Thompson | | 9 | 6.5 | 23.5 | |
| 6 | Tom Stoltman | 8 | 4.5 | 35.5 | ||
| 6 | Konstantine Janashia | | 8 | 4.5 | 27.5 | |
| 8 | Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð | | 7 | 3 | 18.5 | |
| 9 | Luke Stoltman | 6 | 2 | 29 | ||
| 10 | Maxime Boudreault | | 3 | 1 | 27.5 |
| Name | Nationality | Time (sec) | Event Pts | Overall Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Stoltman | 5 in 20.21 | 10 | 45.5 | ||
| 2 | Maxime Boudreault | | 5 in 28.63 | 9 | 36.5 | |
| 3 | Brian Shaw | | 5 in 31.45 | 8 | 42.5 | |
| 4 | JF Caron | | 5 in 37.17 | 7 | 34 | |
| 5 | | 5 in 37.26 | 6 | 35 | ||
| 6 | Konstantine Janashia | | 4 in 20.81 | 5 | 32.5 | |
| 7 | Adam Bishop | 4 in 30.61 | 4 | 27 | ||
| 8 | Luke Stoltman | 4 in 33.50 | 3 | 32 | ||
| 9 | Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð | | 4 in 33.65 | 2 | 20.5 | |
| 10 | Bobby Thompson | | Withdrew | 0 | 23.5 |
| Name | Nationality | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Stoltman | | 45.5 | |
| 2 | Brian Shaw | | 42.5 | |
| 3 | Maxime Boudreault | | 36.5 | |
| 4 | | 35 | ||
| 5 | JF Caron | | 34 | |
| 6 | Konstantine Janashia | | 32.5 | |
| 7 | Luke Stoltman | | 32 | |
| 8 | Adam Bishop | 27 | ||
| 9 | Bobby Thompson | | 23.5 | |
| 10 | Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð | | 20.5 |
Mark Felix appeared in his record 16th WSM contest.
Brian Shaw qualified for his record 13th WSM final, breaking a tie held by him and Zydrunas Savickas. All 13 of these finals were consecutive, another record. He also extended his own record by appearing in his 14th consecutive WSM contest, and equalled the record 10 podium finishes of Savickas.
Travis Ortmayer set a record for longest absence between consecutive WSM appearances of 10 years, last competing at the 2011 contest. This broke the previous record of 8 years (2003–2011) held by Lithuania's Vidas Blekaitis.
In the third event of the final, 4 men broke the previous world record in the 15 kg Keg Toss for height, which stood at 7.25m (held by Brian Shaw). Konstantine Janashia achieved 7.26m, whereas Tom Stoltman and Maxime Boudreault reached 7.50m, but Shaw reset his record at 7.75m.