Hafthor Bjornsson, Iceland’s legendary strongman and the main star of the scene lately thanks to his deadlift pursuits, made history by setting a new Deadlift World Record, hoisting an astonishing 510 kilograms (1,124.4 pounds) at the 2025 World Deadlift Championships on September 6, 2025, at Utilita Arena in Birmingham, England. The 6’9”, 440-pound giant surpassed his previous lifts of 501kg in 2020 and 505kg in July 2025, solidifying his place as one of the strongest men in history.
Hafthor Bjornsson put on a deadlift suit and lifting straps, as is allowed in the sport of Strongman. He then set up a conventional stance, once again following the regulations of the sport. Once he was ready to commence the lift, Hafthor rolled the barbell towards his legs and started pulling.
Hafthor Bjornsson’s tremendous pulling power was clear immediately, as the bar moved with speed off the floor. He did not struggle at all to reach lockout and held the bar at the top for a significant amount of time. In doing so, he proved just how powerful he was and that he had more left in the tank
Check out Hafthor Bjornsson’s 510-kg deadlift here:
Related: Hafthor Bjornsson Crushes a 460-kg (1,014.1-lb) Deadlift Two Rep PR in Prep for World Record Attempt
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Hafthor Bjornsson’s interest in setting a Deadlift World Record first started half a decade ago, when he aimed to become the second person to deadlift half a ton or more. In doing so, he aimed to beat Eddie Hall’s record of 500 kilograms (1,102.3 pounds). So, in 2020, Hafthor loaded 501 kilograms (1,104.5 pounds) and set a new World Record. However, a part of the community did not recognize it as a valid record because of the conditions under which it was performed.
One of those who undermined Hafthor’s achievement was Eddie Hall. So, after a lot of back and forth, the two men agreed to organize a boxing match. It ended up being a spectacle, with Hafthor emerging as a winner based on a unanimous decision from the judges. However, their feud did not stop there, since Eddie continued to smear Hafthor’s record
So, in July of 2025, Hafthor Bjornsson decided to go for a 505-kilogram (1,113.3-pound) deadlift. He was successful in doing so but felt there was more left in the tank. So, he decided to compete at the 2025 World Deadlift Championships in an effort to advance the record to 510 kilograms (1,124.4 pounds). Luckily, he was successful in doing so.
Hafthor Bjornsson has achieved everything that was available during his first stint in Strongman. Specifically, he won the World’s Strongest Man, Arnold Strongman Classic, Europe’s Strongest Man, Iceland’s Strongest Man and many other competitions. However, while he was retired, two new major competitions emerged: the Strongest Man On Earth and the Rogue Invitational. So, having come out of retirement, Hafthor now has other titles to pursue.
Related: Hafthor Bjornsson’s 8,000-Calorie Diet Examined by Dr. Mike Israetel for Peak Strength
Hafthor Bjornsson is now the undisputed king of the deadlift. He has lifted more weight than anyone in history and by a very large margin. What stood out most was how easy he made the lift look. Many people are now asking how much more he can really lift. It seems Hafthor may still have even greater lifts ahead of him.
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The part of the community which doubted the 501kg deadlift was the part of the community that doesn’t recognise lifts in the gym as records. Were each one of the plates weighed? The bar? The collars? Were the plates the correct diameter? Were there 3 qualified judges present to verify the lift? So please don’t spout this smeared crap! And also please note that Hafthor’s 505 (and now his 510) have been received with universal acclaim.
The part of the community that smeared Thor’s 501 were jealous strongmen like Eddie and casuals who don’t know strongman. There was literally nothing to make the lift not legit. Magnus the top strongman official was there to oversee everything. The plates were weighed on camera. Thor’s dad is not Tony Stark forging fake plates and reprogramming the weighing machine. They were calibrated plates. A gym environment is actually a disadvantage as a big crowd is well known to motivate Thor and give him energy. The whole event was televised live on ESPN. Thor rested according to standard comp rest times, as thats what he trains for. Habit.
501kg was the OFFICIAL world deadlift record.