When the 2025 World’s Strongest Man competitors started, all eyes had been on two males; defending champion and three-time winner Tom Stoltman and 2023 champion Mitchell Hooper. May “The Albatross” go back-to-back and cement his legacy as an all-time nice with a historic fourth title, or would Hooper regain the title that will have actually slipped from his grasp as a result of a hand damage he suffered throughout the 2024 closing?
The reply was truly C: Not one of the Above. That’s as a result of a person from South Africa who was thought-about a darkish horse with potential to make the ultimate pulled off what some consultants felt was the best upset of the century to win the title. Rayno Nel was not a reputation that many exterior the strongman neighborhood knew previous to the competition, however his was the final referred to as out because the 2025 champion, having secured the title by half some extent over Stoltman. Not even he noticed himself successful the title in his first go.
“I had initially went in with the purpose of constructing the ultimate and being aggressive,” Nel shared. “I shocked myself a bit.”
From Unknown to Champion: Rayno Nel’s Rise
To understand how Nel turned the primary man since Jouko Ahola to win the title in his debut yr, one should return to how he got here up within the sport. Nel is from Krugersdorp, a mining metropolis within the West Rand of Gauteng Province. He turned an engineer by commerce but additionally performed rugby, which he mentioned could possibly be a faith in his a part of the world. He found the game of strongman by way of an area contest that was held yearly.
“It was principally simply native guys doing it, like farmers locally,” Nel mentioned. “Then, they might overlook about it for a yr.”
Nel additionally noticed Gerrit Badenhorst, a powerlifter and strongman that excelled in energy, who would do native demonstrations for colleges and teams. Rugby was Nel’s final dream till round three years in the past whereas having a beer with relations that he had what he referred to as a lightbulb second.
“Let’s attempt strongman,” he thought to himself. Whereas his nation is an enormous place, he was lucky sufficient to be close to athletes that had expertise, together with males that had positioned within the prime two of their nation’s prime contests. Nel discovered nicely and rapidly. By 2023, he had not solely entered that yr’s South Africa’s Strongest Man contest, however he received it. Clearly, he didn’t know that was an indication of issues to come back, however he did perceive he had potential.
“I believe I did the game for six or seven months, and I already received that. So, a bit of over a yr later, I did my first Strongman Champions’ League (SCL) competitors.”
SCL is a well-respected group inside the sport, and it serves as a launching pad for a lot of stars of the game. They host many nationwide and worldwide contests, and Nel wasted no time establishing himself in 2024, taking two wins and culminating with their world title by the top of that yr. He would do the identical in 2025 as nicely. These wins did rather more than give Nel confidence; they ready him for the final word stage.
“It virtually gave me a way of, if I’m going to that subsequent stage, I received’t be starstruck. I do know I might be aggressive.”
Nel arrived in Sacramento, California for the WSM occasion and was slotted in Group 3. He was joined by established contenders like Shane Flowers, Lucas Hatton, and even former runner-up Mateusz Kieliszkowski. Nel by no means completed beneath second in any occasion via the qualifiers, and took the highest spot of his warmth, transferring him on to the finals.
Nel seemed to be poised to do the identical within the finals, however the fourth occasion, the Flintstone Press Max, resulted in an eighth-place end. That opened the door for both Stoltman or Hooper to make their transfer. Nel and Hooper had been tied for the general lead going into the ultimate occasion, the Atlas Stones.
The target for the ultimate occasion is to carry 5 stones, growing in weight, from the bottom to its podium within the quickest time. Stoltman was as soon as referred to as “King of the Stones”, and Hooper was a technical grasp. Stoltman breezed via the occasion in lower than 32 seconds, which gave him the occasion win. Nel completed third with 4 stones in 30.17 seconds. Hooper completed lower than one second behind Nel. By the point factors had been allotted primarily based on end, Nel had clinched the title by lower than one level. He had no thought of the historical past behind the win, however he knew his future was modified endlessly.
“So many issues have modified.”
How Rayno Nel Beat Tom Stoltman and Mitchell Hooper
Just like the Mr. Olympia title in bodybuilding, being World’s Strongest Man turns into part of the winner’s legacy. Nel’s identify shall be referenced endlessly due to his unbelievable efficiency. There are obligations that include the title reminiscent of representing the game and touring the world. Nel is privileged to be in his place however can also be captivated with his full-time engineering profession, and he has no plans to offer that up anytime quickly.
“For me, it’s such a pleasant factor to have one thing to change off the strongman half and concentrate on a bit that’s fully completely different.”
When he’s in strongman mode, his coaching and prep has been on level, and he’s extra assured this yr than final. Nel cited engaged on his overhead urgent capacity in addition to sustaining his energy in areas that he excels in such because the deadlift and carries.
Nel hasn’t been getting ready for this alone, nonetheless. Alongside along with his spouse, Monya, he has been working with coach Terence Bosman and famend nutritionist Nathan Payton to verify he’s at his greatest for this competitors. He had initially deliberate to compete on the 2026 Arnold Strongman Basic however withdrew as a result of a salmonella an infection and to concentrate on defending his personal title. Now that he’s the person being hunted, he’s conscious of the 24 different males which might be locked in on dethroning him.
“There are various extra guys which might be going to be a risk,” he acknowledged. “That mentioned, I do know what Tom and Mitchell can do, however that should take up lower than 1% of my power.”
Can Rayno Nel Defend His Title in 2026?
The 25 greatest strongmen on the earth are gathering in Myrtle Seashore, South Carolina from April 23-26 to compete within the 2026 version of the World’s Strongest Man. Clearly, Nel is unable to fly beneath the radar this time round as a result of he’s the defending champion. On prime of that, now each Stoltman and Hooper have their sights set on reminding him who the ultimate boss of the game really is.
Regardless of that, Nel isn’t solely pondering of the ultimate anymore. That first trophy is lonely on his mantle, and he totally intends to convey one other one again to South Africa to proceed constructing his personal legacy within the sport. As for Hooper and Stoltman’s intentions, Nel is doing what many champions in his place would do – controlling his personal prep and energy.
“Once I get to a contest, I don’t care who the blokes are or what historical past says, I wish to do in addition to I can.”
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