Eggs the key for strongest man
It’s not every day you hear someone say “I eat ten eggs for breakfast” and “I pushed a train last week.” But you do when you are talking to the World’s Strongest Man.
It’s not every day you hear someone say “I eat ten eggs for breakfast” and “I pushed a train last week”.
But it’s not that unusual when you are talking to the World’s Strongest Man.
Tom Stoltman, from Invergordon in the Scottish Highlands, won the historic title on Sunday, beating four-time champion Brian Shaw.
The 27-year-old, nicknamed “The Albatross”, is the first Scot to take home the trophy since the international competition began in 1997.
“It still hasn’t sunk in yet,” he said, speaking hours after his flight landed in Glasgow from Sacramento,
California, where the competition was held.
“It was a surreal moment when staff at the airport check-in desk said, ‘We know who you are, you’re the World’s Strongest Man’.”
Tom, who is 6ft 8in tall, weighs 180kg and can lift up to 700kg, was runner-up in the competition in November last year.
But this year, the Scot smashed his way to the title in the final Atlas Stones challenge, which involves lifting five stones weighing between 140kg to 210kg on to a platform as fast as possible.
However, his win should perhaps not be that surprising, as he currently holds the world record for completing the challenge – in just 18 seconds.
The annual competition follows 25 athletes, all competing for the record title over a period of five days, taking on challenges including Stone Off and Titan’s Turntable.
There’s also Train Push , which literally involves pushing trains 30 metres along a railway line.
Speaking about how he physically prepares for such a thing, Tom said his diet ahead of a strongman contest totals about 11,000 calories a day.
“I eat ten eggs for breakfast, four slices of bread, two bits of bacon and two sausages as soon as I wake up.
“Then, an hour or so later, I have a protein shake and some fruit. For lunch and dinner, I have about 400g of meat and 400g of vegetables and rice, and I snack on burgers and chips in between if I’m hungry.”
His workout routine consists of intense crossfit training, weight lifting and cardio – then seven days before a competition, it’s “chill time”, he said.
Tom’s champion moment was shared with his brother Luke, 37, who also made it to this year’s finals and is a five-time winner of Scotland’s Strongest Man.
The brothers’ family in Scotland were also on Facetime, watching Tom’s historic finish live from the sidelines.
“The moment I knew I’d won I felt Luke hugging me to the ground. He’s been a huge part of why I got into strongman competitions and why I got to where I am today.
“I am also the first man with autism to win the competition, and he helped me get over a lot of the hurdles it brings, like doing interviews.
“He’s amazing, and that’s why, together, we are the World’s Strongest Brothers.
“I owe a lot of this to him, my wife Sinead and my dad, Ben, for being so supportive on this journey.”
One family member who couldn’t witness Tom’s win, but who he described as being a major influence on his success was his mother, Sheila, who died five years ago.
“I promised her on her deathbed that I would win this competition in 2021 for my family, and for myself, and now I’ve gone and done it.”