The 2026 World’s Strongest Man took place on April 23-26 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and is regarded as one of the most difficult Strongman competitions in the world. With four days of non-stop action and heavy weights in every event, the risk of injury is always present. Consequently, some athletes were forced to withdraw from the competition.
2026 World’s Strongest Man Withdrawals
Adam Bishop
Adam Bishop came into the 2026 WSM with the intention to make his tenth appearance. However, he was forced to withdraw at the start of the competition, completing only a single event. He crushed the Farmer’s Walk but seemed to struggle a bit on the Power Stairs. Minutes after the event, it was announced that Adam decided to withdraw from the WSM due to an injury, the details of which remain unknown for now.
Interestingly, Adam was the oldest athlete in the lineup at the age of 37 years old. However, his recent success at the 2026 Europe’s Strongest Man competition, where he placed third, indicated that he could put up another incredible performance at the WSM. While that was not the case, there is no doubt that Adam will come back from his injury even stronger than before.
Adam Bishop’s greatest success at the WSM remains his sixth-place finish from 2020. He has made it to the finals on three occasions over the years, consistently proving to be one of the strongest men in the world.
Since Adam Bishop withdrew during the first event, the organizers decided to allow Kevin Hazeleger to jump in, as he still had time to perform the event. As a result, 25 men remained in the 2026 WSM lineup.
Kevin Hazeleger
Adam Bishops’ replacement, Kevin Hazeleger, performed all three events on day one. However, he announced his own withdrawal from the 2026 World’s Strongest Man before day two of the competition started. The reasons behind his decision are unknown, but there is no doubt that Hazeleger would have continued competing if possible.
Bryce Johnson
Another athlete from group four withdrew and that man was Bryce Johnson. The US representative ended day one tied on points with Martis Licis and was definitely in contention for the qualifying spot. However, as his group started to perform the Truck Pull, his absence became clear and his withdrawal was announced. This practically meant that Ondrej Fojtu and Martins Licis qualified for the finals.
Austin Andrade
Austin Andrade was one of the best performers in the qualifying stage of the 2026 World’s Strongest Man and was a legitimate contender for the podium. However, during the first event of the finals, the Flip & Carry, Austin suffered a concussion. He went on to perform the Deadlift but underperformed in what was supposed to be one of his best events. Consequently, Andrade decided to withdraw from the competition in order to take care of his well-being. He did reveal that he feels good, which means that it shouldn’t keep him sidelined for too long.
Related: Laurence ‘Big Loz’ Shahlaei Breaks Down Predictions for the 2026 World’s Strongest Man Qualifiers
Adam Bishop is not the only man who was forced to withdraw from the competition, as Luke Stoltman did so in the weeks leading up to the 2026 WSM. Stoltman broke his leg after jumping into the sea, as he expected the water to be deeper at that spot. Josh Patacca also withdrew days before the competition, and his spot was then given to Tristain Hoath.
2026 WSM Related Content
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- 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finals — Day One Results
- 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day Two Qualifiers
- 2026 World’s Strongest Man Results — Day One Qualifiers
- How to Watch 2026 World’s Strongest Man
- 2026 World’s Strongest Man Finalists Revealed — Tom Stoltman Eliminated
Follow the 2026 World’s Strongest Man – event breakdowns, athlete interviews, full results, and all the latest news at our WSM hub: FitnessVolt.com/wsm
