Thor and Mitchell Hooper to Go Head-to-Head in Joint World Record Deadlift Attempt
Hafþór ‘Thor’ Björnsson will attempt to break the deadlift world record for the fourth time at the upcoming May 2026 Enhanced Games in Las Vegas.
However, he won’t be alone in that quest: competition organizers recently announced that what was originally billed to be a one-man spectacle will now be a head-to-head deadlift showdown between Björnsson and 2023 World’s Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper.
Can Björnsson Add Another World Record Deadlift to His Tally?
Famously known as “The Mountain” from Game of Thrones, Thor is no stranger to pushing the limits of human strength.
He has already broken the world deadlift record three times: first lifting 501 kg (1,104 lbs) in 2020, then 505 kg (1,113 lbs) earlier in 2025, and finally 510 kg in September 2025 at the World Deadlift Championships in Birmingham.
He is also a World’s Strongest Man champion (2018), three-time Arnold Strongman Classic winner, and five-time Europe’s Strongest Man, and remains the only athlete to achieve the Strongman Triple Crown in a single year.
A True Icon in More Ways Than One
Speaking on the announcement of Thor’s world record deadlift attempt, Maximilian Martin, CEO of Enhanced, said: “Thor is a globally recognised icon, a literal mountain in both sports and entertainment, and we are thrilled he’s participating in the Games.
“There are very few – if any – people on the planet who can match Thor’s sheer power and the spectacle that only he can create with a global audience.”
And it would appear that Thor is equally relishing the opportunity: “Defying what was previously thought humanly possible is what powers my success and what attracted me to the Games,” he said.
“I believe what the team at Enhanced is embarking on – to change the conversation about what is possible in sport – will be historic, and I wanted to be a part of that. I can’t wait to try and beat my record and shake the floor in Las Vegas.”
The inaugural Enhanced Games will take place on May 24, 2026 at Resorts World Las Vegas.
SEE ALSO: Strongman Mitchell Hooper Officially Confirmed For 2026 Enhanced Games
