WSM 2012 Finals – Athlete Profiles – Group 5

Mike Burke

 Nationality: American

WSM debut: 2012

Previous WSM appearances: None

WSM finalist: n/a

Highest placing: n/a

 

 

 

 

Burke had a fantastic start to 2012, winning the All-American Strongman Challenge, which qualified him for the Arnold Classic, where he placed fifth on his debut. Burke completed the trio of Americans who qualified for WSM via Giants Live Melbourne in March, taking third place. What was even more impressive about his podium finish in Melbourne was that Burke managed this position in spite of  a torn intercostal muscle which he sustained during the contest.

 

Terry Hollands

Nationality: English

WSM debut: 2005

Previous WSM appearances: seven (2005-2011)

WSM finalist: Six times (2006-2011)

Highest placing: Third (2007, 2011)

 

Something of a fixture in WSM finals, World’s Strongest Man seems to bring out the best in Hollands each year. If he manages to negotiate the qualifiers, it would be the seventh final on the bounce for Hollands. In the modern (post-1994) era of qualifying heats, only Magnus Samuelsson and Mariusz Pudzianowski have managed to make more consecutive finals than Hollands.  One of the best deadlifters and vehicle pullers ever seen in strongman, Hollands is remarkably well conditioned and when on top form is always near the head of the field. A former winner of England’s Strongest Man, UKSM, Britain’s Strongest Man, the SCL champion in 2010 and twice a WSM podium finisher, Hollands stands out as Britain’s most successful strongman of recent times. With his mind set squarely on WSM 2012, few will count Hollands out as a potential winner.

 

James Fennelly

Nationality: Irish

WSM debut: 2012

Previous WSM appearances: None

WSM finalist: n/a

Highest placing: n/a

 

The Irish gym owner is another debutant at WSM 2012, but will be familiar to many British and Irish viewers as a competitor at the UKSM contest and numerous others. A winner of All-Ireland’s Strongest Man and four times consecutively the Republic of Ireland’s Strongest Man, Fennelly has also competed in the SCL and Giants Live.  This year he earned a spot at Europe’s Strongest Man in Leeds after his victory in the Irish qualifying leg. A junior powerlifting champion, the Irishman is relishing the opportunity to compete on the big stage in California.

 

Krzysztof Radzikowski

Nationality: Polish

WSM debut: 2011

Previous WSM appearances: One (2011)

WSM finalist: None

Highest placing: Fourth in group (2011)

 

 

 

Radzikowski returns to WSM for a second consecutive year following his first place finish at Giants Live Poland. An outstanding overhead lifter with any implement, the Pole has a 205kg competition log lift to his name, and was desperately close to lifting the 216kg log at Europe’s Strongest Man in June. Carrying his good form into August, Radzikowski took third place in SCL Poland. With his deadlifting prowess increasing year on year, he will be disappointed with anything less than making the WSM final.

 

Eben Le Roux

Nationality: Australia

WSM debut: 2012

Previous WSM appearances: None

WSM finalist: n/a

Highest placing: n/a

 

 

A former bodybuilder who turned to strongman, Le Roux has been a regular podium finisher in Australia’s Strongest Man, taking second place in 2008, 2009 and 2011, with a third place finish in 2010. Le Roux made his Giants Live debut in March at the Melbourne Fit-X, finishing in seventh place.

 

Alex Moonen

Nationality: Dutch

WSM debut: 2012

Previous WSM appearances: None

WSM finalist: n/a

Highest placing: n/a

 

 

 

 

The only man from the Netherlands at WSM 2012, Moonen has been one of Holland’s top competitors for a number of years now, with one second and three third place finishes in Holland’s Strongest Man since 2009. As the first Dutchman at WSM since Peter Baltus and Jarno Hams in 2003, Moonen will be looking to make an immediate impression on his debut and translate his domestic form to WSM. A very solid overhead lifter,  Moonen has also been seen in SCL action for a number of years now.