Russian Weightlifter’s Face Actually Explodes During Lift
This past weekend, strongmen from around the world descended on Ohio in the United States for the 2018 Arnold Sports Festival. The weekend is a celebration of strength and power, with athletes lifting 140kg dumbbells overhead, deadlifting over 1000 pounds (470kgs), and pushing themselves so hard, that blood streams out of their face.
This was the case for 37 year old Russian lifter Mikhail Shivlyakov. While successfully dead lifting 425kg, video footage from the competition shows blood vessels exploding in Shivlyakov’s face, sending the wave of blood down his chin. The strain was obvious, however it didn’t deter the strongman from completing the lift successfully, before marching away in triumph.
Despite his literally mind-blowing feat of strength, Shivlyakov didn’t win the event, with the title going to Game of Throne’s The Mountain, Hafthor Bjornsson, in a world record lift of 472kg.
The competition rewards any world-record lifts with US$5000 and an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records, and despite his commitment to the lift, Mikhail unfortunately fell short. At least he has a great story to tell, and the footage to back it up!
