The holder of the title UK’s Strongest Man has thrown down the gauntlet to his opponents.
The Warrior, or Laurence Shahlaei to his mum, was a guest at a promotional event at Abbey View Track Facility for the upcoming strength competition, part of which will be held in St Albans this year as the battle of human strength comes to England.
Laurence said: “This is the first time I’ve ever been able to compete in a huge tournament locally and Strongman is growing so fast in England everyone will want to take me down and grab the title.It’s going to be incredible.”
This is the first time in the competition’s 15 year history it will be held in England.
Before now it was always held in Belfast in Northern Ireland, but English athletes such as Gloucestershire-born Shahlaei and World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall have long dominated the sport.
Five-time champion and event organiser Glenn ‘The Daddy’ Ross said: “This is the 15th year of the competition and it’s an honour we can come to the mainland from Belfast for the first time.
“The response from the public has been awesome and I can’t wait to bring a bigger, better show to England this summer.”
The final 16 athletes will do battle at Abbey View Track Facility near Westminster Lodge from Friday, July 27 to Sunday, July 29, climaxing in a final day showdown.
The competition was founded by Glenn Ross and producer David McConachie and has been broadcast on Channel 5 for several years.
UK’s Strongest Man is one of the longest running TV series in the country, and is one of the world’s leading strongman organisations – it helps promote the only World Championship and similar events around the world, including in Canada, Denmark, Ukraine and Ireland.
There will be music, food, and children’s activities at the event in St Albans, tickets for which cost £16.58 and are available from www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/uks-strongest-man-2018-tickets-42627050656
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