Mitchell Hooper (born 29 September 1995) is a Canadian strongman and kinesiologist. He secured 1st place at the 2023 World's Strongest Man competition in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he also became the first Canadian to win the title of World's Strongest Man.[4][5] He is also the winner of both the 2023 and 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic events.[6][7]
In 2023, he became the fourth person to win both the World’s Strongest Man and Arnold Strongman Classic competitions in the same year. Mitchell is the only person currently to have won the World's Strongest Man, Arnold Strongman Classic, Rogue Invitational, and Strongest Man on Earth competitions.
Prior to his strongman career, Hooper competed in sports including marathon running, bodybuilding, and powerlifting. He initially planned to train for strongman simply as a way to understand his clients who intended to pursue strength training; he considered quitting the sport before receiving a reserve invite to the 2022 World's Strongest Man.[9]
Strongman
Hooper rose to prominence in the 2022 World's Strongest Man contest, where he won his qualifying group, beating veteran strongman Brian Shaw. He finished in 8th place in his first WSM Final, in what was also his first ever full international strongman contest.[10] Following this success, he was coached by former competitor Laurence Shahlaei and placed third in both the 2022 Shaw Classic and Rogue Invitational.[11][12] He also won two shows in 2022: the Giants Live World Tour Finals and the Arnold UK.
In 2024, Hooper won the Arnold Strongman Classic for back to back titles. He scored 52 points from a possible 55 and won 3 events. 2 weeks later, he won the Arnold UK in Birmingham. At the 2024 World's Strongest Man in May, Hooper finished 2nd to Tom Stoltman. In July, Hooper won the Giants Live Strongman Classic. At the show he broke the axle press world record with a 218kg lift. He also broke the wrecking ball hold world record. He then won the Strongest Man on Earth in August, which was considered the heaviest competition of the year. Hooper then won 3 Giants Live shows in a row, the World Open in Birmingham, the US Strongman Championship in Las Vegas and the World Tour Finals in Glasgow, being the only strongman to win all international Giants Live shows in the same year. Hooper finished the year winning the 2024 Rogue Invitational ahead of Hafþór Björnsson and Tom Stoltman. With wins in 8 out of 9 international contests as well as setting world records in the axle, keg toss, and replica Dinnie stone carry, Hooper suggested that his 2024 season was among the greatest in strongman history.[17]
Other Pursuits
Hooper's daughter, Payton Hooper, was born to him and his wife Ashley in 2024.[18]
Hooper has been outspoken regarding mental health throughout his career, discussing his own challenges with depression. He has publicly discussed his time in therapy and encouraged fans to seek help for mental health.[19]
Personal records
Strongman:
Deadlift (with deadlift suit and figure 8 straps) – 475 kg (1,047 lb) (2021 Excalibur Max Deadlift Competition)
Deadlift (raw with straps) – 442.25 kg (975 lb) (2024 Rogue Invitational)
Rogue Elephant bar Deadlift (raw with straps) – 431.5 kg (951 lb) (2024 Arnold Strongman Classic)
Axle Bar Deadlift with wheels (for reps) (with deadlift suit and straps) – 360 kg (794 lb) x 8 reps (2024 Giants Live Strongman Classic) (Joint-World Record)
Axle press (using split jerk technique) – 218 kg (481 lb) (2024 Giants Live Strongman Classic) (World Record)
Apollon Wheels (for reps) – 181.4 kg (400 lb) x 5 reps (2024 Arnold Strongman Classic)
Log press – 210 kg (463 lb) (2024 Strongman Open/ World Log Lift Challenge)
Super Yoke – 500 kg (1,102 lb) for 10 m (33 ft) in 5.70 secs (2022 Arnold UK) (World Record)
Timber carry (raw grip) – 400 kg (882 lb) for 10.7 m (35 ft) in 7.10 secs (2024 Arnold Strongman Classic)
Manhood Stone (Max Atlas Stone) – 250 kg (551 lb) over 4 ft (48 in) bar
Atlas Stones (heavy set) – 120–200 kg (265–441 lb) in 25.74 secs (2022 Arnold UK)
Inver Stones (hitching post setup) – 125–191 kg (276–421 lb) in 27.37 secs (2022 Rogue Invitational)
Húsafell Stone replica sandbag – 181.5 kg (400 lb) for 68.58 m (225.0 ft) (2022 Rogue Invitational)
Dinnie Stones (with Rogue replicas) – 333 kg (734 lb) for 12.60 m (41.3 ft) (2024 Arnold Strongman Classic) (World Record)
Keg toss – 15 kg (33 lb) over 7.76 m (25 ft 51⁄2 in) (2024 World's Strongest Man) (former joint-world record)
Wrecking ball hold – 267 kg (589 lb) for 118.72 seconds (2024 Giants Live Strongman Classic) (former world record)
Training:
Deadlift (raw with straps) – 432 kg (952 lb)
Squat (raw with wraps) – 392.5 kg (865 lb) and 375 kg (827 lb) x 2 reps
Bench press (raw with elbow sleeves) – 227 kg (500 lb) x 2 reps
