Singleton’s post-injury journey culminated with this climactic win.
Evan Singleton is the champion of the 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC). The athlete emerged triumphant in the contest that took place on July 8, 2023, in London, England. After undergoing biceps surgery in September 2022, the 2023 GLSC win is Singleton’s first since the 2021 Arnold Strongman Classic UK (ASCUK) in October 2021 — an approximate two-year gap. Singleton has never finished off the podium in three career appearances at the GLSC (2021-2023).
Joining Singleton on the 2023 GLSC podium were former two-time World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion (2021-2022) Tom Stoltman (second place) and the reigning WSM king Mitchell Hooper (third place). Per his page on Strongman Archives, Stoltman has now finished as the runner-up in two of three competitive appearances in 2023. Meanwhile, after his 2022 WSM debut, Hooper has finished on the podium in 10 consecutive competitions. The 2023 GLSC was technically Hooper’s “worst” result after winning three straight contests — the 2023 Australia’s Strongest International (ASI), the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC), and the 2023 WSM — to start the year.
The 2023 GLSC featured five events: the Nicol Stone Carry, Super Yoke, Deadlift (for reps), Viking Press, and Castle Stones (an Atlas Stones variation). Here are the final standings and respective points for each participating strongman competitor from the 2023 GLSC:
2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic Final Standings
- Evan Singleton (United States) — 47 points
- Tom Stoltman (United Kingdom) — 46.5 points
- Mitchell Hooper (Canada) — 43 points
- Trey Mitchell (United States) — 33.5 points
- Eddie Williams (Australia) — 32 points
- Luke Stoltman (United Kingdom) — 28 points
- Spenser Remick (United States) — 27 points
- Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine) — 22.5 points
- Kevin Faires (United States) — 22 points
- Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou (Burkina Faso) — 19 points
- Rongo Keene (Australia) — 5.5 points
Singleton won his first-ever GLSC with consistency. The athlete finished in at least the top three of each event, peaking with a runner-up performance on the Super Yoke and the Castle Stones while tying for second place in the Viking Press.
Here’s an overview of Singleton’s individual performance that led to his win:
Evan Singleton | 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic Event Overview
- Nicol Stone Carry (for distance) — 25.25 meters | Third place
- Super Yoke (for time) — 12.19 seconds | Second place
- Deadlift (for reps) — Five | Third place
- Viking Press (for reps) — 17 | Tied for second place
- Castle Stones (for time) — Five in 25.18 seconds | Second place
The most surprising aspect of Singleton’s win might have been his output on the Castle Stones. Aside from Stoltman, Singelton was the only other athlete to lift all five Stones, culminating in a narrow 0.5-point margin of victory over his peer.
In a post on his Instagram from the aftermath of the 2023 GLSC, Singleton appeared emotional and appreciative of his achievement. When factoring in the recent adversity concerning his biceps injury that knocked him out of the final leg of 2022, such a reaction seems more than warranted.
Based on the tenor of Singleton’s post, his win could even be seen as a statement.
“No other way to say it,” Singleton started. “I wanted this [a win in the 2023 GLSC] so damn bad. I put everything into this prep and managed to pull out the victory. This win meant alot to me because it’s a good example of why when you talk about the best in the world, you don’t leave me out of the conversation. I had a point to prove this competition and I made my statement. I am one of the best.”
Featured image: @evan_trex_strongman on Instagram
