Marc Iliffe (27 June 1972 – 11 February 2003) was a British

strongman Strongman is a competitive strength sport which tests athletes' physical strength and endurance through a variety of heavy lifts and events. Strongman competitions are known for their intensity, pushing athletes to their physical and mental limit ...

famous for being the winner of

Britain's Strongest Man Britain's Strongest Man is an annual strongman event held in the United Kingdom. Competitors qualify for the final through regional heats and the winner is awarded the title of "Britain's Strongest Man". The competition is produced by TWI and ...

contest in 2002.

Career

Iliffe was acknowledged as being extremely dedicated to the sport of

strength athletics Strength athletics is the collection of strength sports which measure physical strength, based on both: non-standard and historical implements as seen in Strongman and Highland games, and standardized and calibrated equipment as seen in Powerlifti ...

. His training partner of ten years,

Bill Pittuck Bill Pittuck (born 13 July 1963) is a British strongman competitor, notable for having won both major British titles and having been a repeat competitor at the World's Strongest Man, as well as achieving a high standing in the World Muscle Power C ...

, talked of Marc's particular love of the Atlas stones event which helped him win the title of

in 2002. Iliffe was also invited to compete at the

World's Strongest Man The World's Strongest Man is an international strongman competition held every year. Organized by American event management company IMG, a subsidiary of Endeavor, it is broadcast in the US during summers and in the UK around the end of Decemb ...

finals in consecutive years. Iliffe's career was affected in 2002 by a split disc in his back that had caused weakness in his legs. However, surgery to correct the injury looked very positive. On his personal website he said: "I have now had an MRI scan and the bottom disk in my back is split, so I go into the woodlands private Hospital in Kettering on the 22nd of October to surgery to fix the problem, so I will be back fighting fit very soon and will be at BSM 2003 to hopefully win title for a second time. Can't wait to get it sorted as it has caused problems the last few months, and will be back in training very soon the surgeon . It should not cause me any more problems and is near enough an instant fix, and leg pain and weakness will be gone instantly."

Television and film

As well as televised strongman competitions, Marc appeared in a television

advertisement Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a Product (business), product or Service (economics), service. Advertising aims to present a product or service in terms of utility, advantages, and qualities of int ...

for rock group

Pulp Pulp may refer to: * Pulp (fruit), the inner flesh of fruit * Pulp (band), an English rock band Engineering * Pulp (paper), the fibrous material used to make paper * Dissolving pulp, highly purified cellulose used in fibre and film manufacture ...

's ''Hits'' album before Christmas 2002 and had been cast in a film called ''Transfer'' by GMV Entertainment along with the boxer

Richie Woodhall Richie Woodhall (born 17 April 1968) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1990 to 2000. He held the WBC super-middleweight title from 1998 to 1999, as well as the Commonwealth middleweight title from 1992 to 1995, and the ...

, in which he was due to play a gangster.

Personal life

Outside of strongman competition, Marc worked at Ilmor Engineering,

Brixworth Brixworth is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. The 2001 census recorded a parish population of 5,162, increasing to 5,228 at the 2011 census. The village's All Saints' Church is of Anglo-Saxon origin. Location T ...

. He was married to June Iliffe, had two stepsons, aged 15 and 19, as well as a six-year-old son, Marc Junior. At the time of his death he lived in Wellingborough in Northamptonshire.

Death

On 11 February 2003, Marc Iliffe was discovered hanged from gym equipment at his

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire ( ; abbreviated Northants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshi ...

home in Vivian Road.Strongest man in UK dies from bbc news
/ref> The Northamptonshire coroner recorded an open verdict on the death of Mr Iliffe, of

Wellingborough Wellingborough ( ) is a market town in the North Northamptonshire, Unitary Authority area, England, from London and from Northampton, north of the River Nene. Originally named "Wendelingburgh" (the stronghold of Wændel's people), the Anglo ...

. No suicide note was left but he was believed to be having some marital and work problems. Additionally, he was disappointed the strongman competition sponsors were not using him in publicity campaigns. His mother, Kathleen Carmichael of Rushden, stated that: "My son wasn't depressed. Frustrated, in turmoil, but not depressed". His wife, June Iliffe, also cast doubt on whether the suicide was deliberate. She did not think he meant to kill himself and she stated "He knew I was going to be home in the next 20 minutes and he wouldn't have wanted his son to find him."Strongest man's 'cry for help' from bbc news
/ref>

References

External links

www.rawmuscle.com - Marc Iliffe's personal website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Iliffe, Marc 1972 births 2003 deaths English strength athletes Sportspeople from Wellingborough