On July 22, 2022, the Giants Live organization announced that strongman Pa O’Dwyer will join the 12-person roster for the 2022 Giants Live World Open and World Deadlift Championships (WDC). That contest will happen on August 6 on the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales.
Before the announcement of O’Dwyer’s addition was made, there have been two open slots — a Wild Card and an area that Adam Bishop vacated after a triceps tear in early July 2022. On the time of this writing, it’s unclear whether O’Dwyer is the Wild Card or is replacing Bishop. Nonetheless, the Irish athlete’s addition to the roster should present him with an awesome opportunity in a strength contest.
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In accordance with Strongman Archives, O’Dwyer most important victory is the 2018 UK’s Strongest Man. He can be a five-time winner of Ireland’s Strongest Man (2016-2019, 2021). In 2022, the athlete has stayed near home for his strongman competitions. In February, on the 2022 Britain’s Strongest Man (BSM), O’Dwyer took home a fifth-place result. Later, in early April, the Irishman finished in tenth place on the 2022 Europe’s Strongest Man.
O’Dwyer will undoubtedly look to enhance upon his recent results on the Giants Live World and World Deadlift Championships in early August. Together with his addition official, here is the confirmed full roster for the competition:
2022 Giants Live World Open & World Deadlift Championships Roster
- Evan Singleton (United States) — 2021 Giants Live World Open Champion
- Pa O’Dwyer (Ireland)
- Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine) — 2021 Third place
- Mitchell Hooper (Canada)
- Ivan Makarov (Russia) — 2021 WDC Champion
- Gabriel Peña (Mexico)
- Rauno Heinla (Estonia)
- Gavin Bilton (United Kingdom)
- Asko Karu (Estonia)
- Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine)
- Peiman Maheripourehir (Iran)
- Wild card — Announced at a later date
In his first Giants Live World Open and WDC, O’Dwyer joins a loaded field of top-tier strongmen.
Some names include defending Giants Live World Open Champion, Evan Singleton. Then comes stellar deadlifter and reigning WDC champ, Ivan Makarov. Rising strongman star Mitchell Hooper can be a component of the general fray, as is Peiman Maheripourehir — whose 492-kilogram (1,084-pound) deadlift from March 2021 stands because the fourth-heaviest caught on camera.
Throw in former World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Champion (2020), Oleksii Novikov — who also won the recent Giants Live Strongman Classic — and this joint competition could prove to be an interesting battle throughout.
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On the time of this text’s publication, the Giants Live organization has not revealed the event format or schedule for the World Open portion of the competition. The one fact known concerns the Max Deadlift — which doubles because the 2022 WDC.
Notably, if any of the athletes can deadlift 505 kilograms (1,113 kilos) throughout the contest, Giants Live will reward them with a $55,000 prize. That mark would surpass the present all-time World Record held by 2018 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Hafthor Björnsson — who pulled 501 kilograms (1,104.5 kilos) within the World’s Ultimate Strongman “Feats of Strength” series in May 2020. O’Dwyer did log a 420-kilogram (925.9-pound) deadlift during a June 2022 training session, but he has work to do before he can challenge for that prize.
Only time will tell whether O’Dwyer can answer the bell and topple his peers in his first appearance at this competition. If his performance around the UK says anything, he’ll definitely be a competitor to regulate.
Featured image: @giantslivestrongman