2025 World’s Strongest Man Withdrawals

Three athletes withdrew during the qualifying stage of the competition.

Published on16 May, 2025 | 7:57 PM EDT

Updated on18 May, 2025 | 7:03 PM EDT

The 2025 World’s Strongest Man competition took place on May 15-18 in Sacramento, California. It was one of the biggest competitions of the season, meaning that it is also one of the most difficult ones as well. Well, with such heavy weights, it was impossible to avoid the risk of injury. So, here is a full list of withdrawals from the 2025 World’s Strongest Man.

2025 World’s Strongest Man Withdrawals

Luke Richardson

Luke Richardson was forced to withdraw from the 2025 World’s Strongest Man due to injury. He was one of the biggest figures at the competition, with many fans rooting for him to take home the win. However, his journey was cut short as he suffered a bicep injury.

Luke Richardson’s injury happened during the first event of the competition, where the athletes had the task of picking up, carrying, and loading four sacks, with each one weighing 130 kilograms (286.6 pounds). He completed the first two implements very quickly but suffered an injury while trying to lift the third sack. He dropped the bag immediately, indicating that there was a problem with his bicep.

Luke Richardson is easily one of the biggest prospects in Strongman, but he did not have any luck when it came to injuries. He has encountered multiple setbacks in his career, always maintaining a positive attitude and coming back even stronger than before. So, hopefully he will return from this bicep injury in better shape than ever.

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Evan Singleton

Evan Singleton suffered a similar fate to Luke Richardson, injuring himself on the first event of the 2025 World’s Strongest Man. Evan’s injury was also bicep-related and happened during the pickup of the third implement. Similar to Luke, Evan grabbed his bicep and was unable to continue the event.

Evan Singleton was one of the favorites for the 2025 World’s Strongest Man competition, having finished in third place last year. He was also very confident in his abilities this year, stating that he had no weak events. However, he was struck by a very unfortunate moment, ending his performance within just seconds of walking out on the stage.

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Mateusz Kieliszkowski

Mateusz Kieliszkowski was another athlete that was expected to be in contention for the title but unfortunately ended his appearance in the qualifying stage of the competition. He was underperforming throughout both, which came as a surprise to many fans. However, it turned out that Mateusz was performing under illness, which is why he was unable to show off his abilities.

Mateusz Kieliszkowski withdrew prior to the final event of the qualifiers. He had five points at that point, meaning that it was mathematically impossible for him to qualify for the finals. Still, the fact that he was pushing himself up until that point shows just how much determination Mateusz has.

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The 2025 World’s Strongest Man had a very unfortunate start to the competition, with injuries happening to two competitors. However, it is important to point out that the remainder of the lineup put up exceptional performances without exception. So, it is clear that this year’s roster is one of the strongest ever.