The 2020 winner positioned third within the 2023 contest in South Carolina.
2020 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) winner Oleksii Novikov hoped to hitch the checklist of two-time champions on the 2023 WSM contest in Myrtle Seashore, SC. Nonetheless, he completed in third place behind champion Mitchell Hooper and runner-up Tom Stoltman.
On Might 8, 2023, Novikov shared a 42-minute video on his YouTube channel recapping his WSM week. The previous champion reviewed his efficiency by way of the competition’s 11 occasions. Nonetheless, one key piece of data he shared could shed some gentle on his stunning third-place end within the Circus Dumbbell event on the ultimate day of competitors. Novikov has historically dominated that difficult overhead press in earlier competitions and set an unofficial world report lifting 153.2 kilograms (337.8 kilos) whereas coaching in 2021.
Novikov revealed that he competed within the 2023 WSM with an elbow damage suffered in coaching, although he didn’t focus on a selected analysis. Novikov spoke in Ukrainian and the captions confirmed the English translation. He spoke concerning the damage on the 30:36 mark within the video under.
Novikov suffered the damage in training whereas performing the Circus Dumbbell with weights heavier than what he would finally elevate within the contest — on the 2023 WSM, Novikov was solely in a position to efficiently press 132.5 kilograms (291 kilos) overhead. He shared that he initially thought it was easy elbow ache and fewer critical than it really was.
“Within the final coaching session [before the WSM contest], I lifted 144 kilograms (317 kilos). At 148 kilograms (326 kilos), I didn’t get the lockout. And through all these processes, I acquired an damage which I didn’t pay a lot consideration to. Just a few elbow ache. I stored coaching and solely then observed this situation with my elbow.
The elbow misplaced its operate at full extension and activating the place it has to activate. And on account of that, there have been issues with the lockout. And that’s why locking out heavy weights grew to become an issue for me … Don’t know whether or not I want a surgical procedure or not, however I’ll actually deal with my elbow,” he mentioned.
He felt the problems with lockouts had been why he struggled through the dumbbell occasion on the final day of competitors. He’s unsure whether or not or not he’ll want surgical procedure, however Novikov made it sound as if that’s at the very least being thought-about.
Novikov realized that this situation and the results of that occasion might’ve very nicely value him the title in South Carolina.
“My signature occasion grew to become an Achilles heel for me. For me, that’s an upset for certain and it introduced me down, mentally, slightly.”
Novikov additionally assessed that his points for the competitors went past bodily issues. Many athletes really feel sports activities are as a lot psychological as they’re bodily, and Novikov is not any completely different. Listening to and studying feedback that recommended he ‘win or not come again’ as a means of encouragement could have backfired.
“You all need me to win, and I additionally need that. I assume not lower than you, but it surely places some type of strain on me that I begin considering that it’s tremendous vital, and I plan my efficiency the best way like ‘both win or nothing.’ And when some type of drawback happens, like with the [Reign Total Body Fuel Shield Carry event], it hurts me mentally, and, total, it turns into laborious to concentrate on the subsequent occasions.”
Novikov additionally shared that he’ll take time off to let his physique recuperate from the competitions he’s already entered this 12 months, in addition to to permit his elbow to heal whether or not he has surgical procedure or not.
Novikov had additionally suffered a lat injury earlier within the 12 months main as much as the 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man contest. Clearly, an athlete of Novikov’s caliber has world-class ranges of power each within the muscle and thoughts, however time to rebuild and refocus might be what he must put himself in one of the best place to succeed going ahead. He didn’t reveal what his subsequent contest will probably be or if he’ll do one other present in 2023.
Featured Picture: Todd Burandt / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man
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