Harrogate behemoth Luke Richardson’s bid to become the youngest ever World’s Strongest Man has been ended by injury.
Luke, who weighs 330 lbs and will be 24 years old on Sunday, tore his biceps on the first day of heats yesterday in Sacramento, America.
He finished ninth last year and had high hopes of improving after good preparation.
But he was injured in the first event, a loading medley, which involved lifting and loading numerous heavy items.
He told his 71,000 Instagram followers:
“Unfortunately my World’s Strongest Man appearance this year was pretty much over before it even started with what seems to be a distal bicep tendon rupture.
“Obviously gutted as I felt in a really good position to improve on last year’s performance but it was not to be this time.
“Just a bump in what is going to be a long road but excited to test myself against a new challenge and grow closer to the athlete and person I am destined to be.
“Thank you all for your show of support and especially my loved ones and the guys here at WSM, you’re proper gents.”
Luke, a former lifeguard at Starbeck Baths, was crowned Europe’s Strongest Man last year and he will be hoping to defend his title in Leeds on September 4.
He has also been invited to compete at the first strongman event at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 120 years on July 24.
Read more:
- Harrogate’s Luke Richardson flies to America for World’s Strongest Man
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Harrogate’s Luke Richardson flies to America for World’s Strongest Man
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Harrogate strongman sensation Luke Richardson is set to compete in the World’s Strongest Man in America this week.
Luke, who turns 24 on Sunday, is one of 25 men in Sacramento vying for the right to be called the strongest on the planet.
If he wins he will be the youngest man ever to hold the title.
This year’s event is expected to be broadcast to 500 million people in 70 countries. It will be shown on Channel 5 in the UK over Christmas and on CBS Sports Network in the United States next month.
Britain has a great pedigree in the event, with former winners including Geoff Capes, Jamie Reeves and Gary Taylor, but endured a 24-year wait until Eddie Hall triumphed in 2017.
Luke Richardson
Luke, who is 6ft 3 and weighs 330 lbs, took the sport by storm last year when he won Europe’s Strongest Man in Knaresborough and finished ninth in the World’s Strongest Man in his first full season of strongman.
This year he has been drawn in a group with Canadian JF Caron, American Robert Oberst, Iceland’s Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted and Russian Mikhail Shivlyakov.
The heats, which begin on Wednesday and last three days, include events such as the train pull, deadlift and pickaxe hold.
The two-day final will culminate, as ever, with the Atlas stones.
Luke went to Starbeck Community Primary School and Harrogate High School and now trains at Absolute Fitness in Boroughbridge and LR Strength Shed in Wetherby, which he and training partner Richard Parish opened.