Bilton stood out from the pack in Serbia.
Gavin Bilton is the winner of the 2023 Strongman Champions League (SCL) Serbia contest. The competition took place on May 20, 2023, in Zrenjanin, Serbia. In line with his page on Strongman Archives, the victory is the Welsh strongman’s first since his title within the 2021 UK’s Strongest Man (UKSM) competition. Despite his status as a daily fixture in major strongman contests, this SCL Serbia win officially marks almost two years since Bilton last stood on top of a podium. It’s also Bilton’s first-ever victory outside of the UK sphere.
Joining Bilton on the 2023 SCL Serbia podium was Turkey’s Fatih Karaca (second place) and the Netherlands’ Kelvin de Ruiter (third place). Per his Strongman Archives page, this SCL Serbia runner-up result’s by far the most effective of Karaca’s young profession on the age of 28. Meanwhile, de Ruiter is a little more seasoned, having participated in 33 international competitions throughout his skilled strongman ventures. This contest was de Ruiter’s first podium result since a victory within the 2022 SCL Romania.
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Listed below are the ultimate standings from the 2023 SCL Serbia:
2023 Strongman Champions League Serbia | Final Standings
- Gavin Bilton — 56 points | 2023 SCL Serbia Champion
- Fatih Karaca — 52.5 points
- Kelvin de Ruiter — 49 points
- Andrea Invernizzi — 46 points
- Peter Juhasz — 44.5 points
- Evans Aryee — 37 points
- Nemanja Tasic — 36 points
- Damir Stroil — 35.5 points
- Jarkko Mehtälä — 34.5 points
- Jonathan Cotton — 23 points
- Hristo Muskov — 20 points
- Andy Black — Five points
- Ervin Toots — One point
In a post on his Instagram, Bilton was appreciative of the spirit of competition and what he was ultimately in a position to achieve on the 2023 SCL Serbia.
“Had an amazing weekend competing out in Serbia against an awesome group of athletes,” Bilton wrote. “Very completely happy with the win, and what higher option to finish a troublesome show by carrying 4 people on a Yoke. A primary time for all the pieces. Belief conquers all.”
Up to now, essentially the most noteworthy accomplishments of Bilton’s strongman profession could be his two back-to-back UKSM titles (2020-2021). Bilton can also be a four-time competitor (2020-2023) on the annual World’s Strongest Man (WSM) but has never advanced to the Finals.
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Bilton’s win within the 2023 SCL Serbia may very well be considered a worthy breakthrough moment for a prolific strongman competitor. His streak of near-victories and berths culminates with this triumph, and it almost actually won’t be the last for the Welshman.
Featured image: @gavin_the_bull_bilton on Instagram