Novikov won’t let a small tear derail his ambitions for 2023.
Oleksii Novikov is one in all strongman’s biggest names and someone many had an eye fixed on entering the meat of the 2023 competitive season. Given recent developments, it looks just like the Ukrainian superstar could have to contend with a minor bout of adversity to live as much as astronomical expectations.
During a Mar. 18, 2023, YouTube video, Novikov revealed he suffered “a small tear” in his lat muscle during a training session in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) and World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contests. Novikov didn’t disclose precisely when the injury occurred or its exact degree, but characterised it as a minor ailment suffered sooner or later during a sandbag-focused workout.
He’ll proceed along with his plans to compete within the 2023 ESM on Apr. 1 in Leeds, England, and the 2023 WSM on Apr. 19-23, 2023, in Myrtle Beach, SC. Novikov is the defending ESM champion and the winner of the 2020 WSM.
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Despite his injury, Novikov made it appear to be it wasn’t much of a hindrance. The video of his reveal featured the strongman powering through various upper-body centric movements including a standing log press, an incline press with the identical log implement, and even the famed Fingal’s Fingers: a staple event at many strongman contests.
At the identical time, a careful Novikov maintained he wasn’t attempting to “activate” his lat muscles as much as he normally would. Novikov’s resolve to defend his ESM title and vie for a second profession WSM championship is likely to be admirable, however the injury could put a hitch into his plans. If the strongman is anything lower than 100% at either competition — again, the precise timeline and nature of his injury and ensuing recovery process are unknown on the time of this writing — it could potentially impact each respective podiums.
Here is the roster for the 2023 ESM on the time of this text’s publication:
2023 Europe’s Strongest Man Roster
Here is the 2023 WSM roster:
Based on Strongman Archives, Novikov recorded a podium finish in seven of eight competitive strongman appearances in 2022. Along with his ESM victory, the athlete was triumphant within the 2022 Giants Live Strongman Classic and the 2022 Strongman Rogue Invitational. Novikov finished in third place behind Martins Licis (second) and two-time reigning champion Tom Stoltman on the 2022 WSM.
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It appears Novikov won’t let any obstacles get in his way of fruitful 2023 performances. Whether he can persevere through his injury and still shine on the 2023 ESM and WSM stays to be seen. Regardless, something says this superstar will find the means to make all of it come together beautifully.
Featured image: Oleksii Novikov [ENG] / YouTube