Mateusz Kieliszkowski (born 12 August 1993) is a Polish

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 ...

competitor, notable for winning the 2019

World's Ultimate Strongman World's Ultimate Strongman was an annual strongman competition which was held from 2018 to 2021 with the participation of top strongmen from all over the world, determining who is the strongest man in the world. The event was noted for its brut ...

competition. He is also a two-time

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 ...

runner-up, three-time

Arnold Strongman Classic The Arnold Strongman Classic is an annual competition featuring strength athletes from all over the world, determining who is the Strongest Man in the World. Created by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Lorimer and Terry Todd, it is an offshoot of t ...

runner-up, one time Europe's Strongest Man runner-up, and five-times Poland's Strongest Man. Particularly known for his impressive pressing ability and prowess in various stone and moving events, Kieliszkowski is the current world record holder of the Cyr dumbbell press for maximum weight, the 400 kg (882 lb) timber carry farmer's walk (raw grip) for time, the 450 kg (992 lb) car walk for time, the Odd Haugen tombstone to shoulder for reps, and replica

Steinstossen Steinstossen (translated to 'stone throwing' in English) is the Swiss variant of stone put, of throwing a heavy stone overhead using both arms for the longest distance. Practiced among the alpine population since prehistoric times, it is recorded ...

strongman events. He is often described as "arguably the best athlete to have never won

" by

Giants Live Giants Live is a professional strongman tour which was originated in the United Kingdom. It hosts several prominent competitions each year, including national competitions such as Britain's Strongest Man, international competitions such as Eur ...

Strongman career

Kieliszkowski had an interest in strength sports in high school. He then became interested in strongman, specifically, at the age of 17 after taking part in a strongman competition organised by a friend. He achieved his first big success by winning the 2014 Arnold Amateur Strongman World Championships which allowed him to compete in the professional 2015 Arnold Strongman Classic, where he would place 3rd. In 2016, he would place 4th at both Europe's Strongest Man and the

. He also qualified for

for the first time and finished 7th in the final. In 2017, he would win his first international competition, the Arnold Africa. He would place 4th at the Arnold Strongman Classic and 6th at the World's Strongest Man that year. In 2018, Kieliszkowski would podium for the first time at World's Strongest Man, finishing 2nd behind

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (; transliterated as Hafthor in English; born 26 November 1988) is an Icelandic professional strongman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes of all time. He is the first and only person t ...

. He also came in 4th at the Arnold Strongman Classic that year. He would also win two

Competitions that year. In 2019, Kieliszkowski would again finish 2nd at the World's Strongest Man, this time coming behind the champion

Martins Licis Martins Licis (, ; born September 28, 1990) is an American professional strongman, notable for winning the 2019 World's Strongest Man, the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic, and the 2021 Rogue Invitational strongman championships. He's the fourth s ...

. He would also finish in 3rd at the Arnold Strongman Classic and 2nd at Europe's Strongest Man. In March 2020, despite winning four events, Kieliszkowski would finish 2nd at the Arnold Strongman Classic to defending champion

. He would miss

for the next three years due to a triceps injury and complications with the surgery. In 2021, Kieliszkowski competed at

and the

Rogue Invitational The Rogue Invitational is an annual sporting event that includes a CrossFit competition and a Strongman competition. The event, organized by Rogue, started in 2019 as a CrossFit sanctioned competition, but has since become a major competition ...

, placing 2nd and 4th, respectively. He would then sit out all of 2022 to heal his injuries. In March 2023, Kieliszkowski returned to the Arnold Strongman Classic competition after a 3-year absence and finished 2nd to Mitchell Hooper. In April 2023, Mateusz returned to World's Strongest Man for the first time since 2019. However, he struggled with injuries and went out in the group stage for the first time in his career. Mateusz competed at the Rogue Invitational and finished 3rd despite zeroing the first event. Notably, Kieliszkowski was the only athlete to complete the Iron Bull sled pull at the event. In 2024, Kieliskowski started his strongman season coming 2nd at the Arnold Strongman Classic. However, he did not participate in either the Europe's Strongest Man, the World's Strongest Man or the Strongest Man on Earth competitions due to an Achilles tendon injury. Kieliszkowski returned in November and won the Magnús Ver Magnússon Strongman Classic in Iceland. In 2025, Kieliszkowski returned to

for the first time since 2019 and finished 3rd at Europe's Strongest Man.

Personal records

Deadlift The deadlift is a strength training exercise in which a weight-loaded barbell is lifted off the ground to the level of the hips, with the torso perpendicular to the floor, before being placed back on the ground. It is one of the three powerlifting ...

(with suit and straps) – (2019 World's Ultimate Strongman) *

Elephant bar The elephant bar is a barbell developed by Rogue Fitness which is specifically used for the strongman raw deadlift. It was first created in 2016 by Terry Todd, the director of the Arnold Strongman Classic. The bar is known for being long and ma ...

(raw with straps) – (2020 Arnold Strongman Classic) * Giant Barbell Squat (for reps) – × 7 reps (single-ply suit w/ wraps) (2019 World's Strongest Man) *Log press – (2019 Europe's Strongest Man) *Apollon's Axle press – x 4 reps (2024 Arnold Strongman Classic) *Circus dumbbell press – (2018 Ultimate Strongman Summermania) (former world record) *Cyr dumbbell press – (2020 Arnold Strongman Classic) (World Record) *Car Walk – for 20m course in 10.00 seconds (2019 Giants Live World Tour Finals) (World Record) * Timber carry – (40-foot inclined ramp) in 7.00 seconds (raw grip) (2020 Arnold Strongman Classic) (World Record) * Sandbag over bar – over 4.57 metres (15 ft 0 in) (2020 Arnold Strongman Classic) * Max Atlas Stone – (2019 Arnold Africa) *

Húsafell Stone The Húsafell Stone is a legendary lifting stone weighing 186 kg (410 lb) located in a west country farming estate in Húsafell, Iceland about northeast of Reykjavík. The slightly triangular, slab shaped stone is kept at a Pen (enclos ...

– for (2024 Magnus Classic) *

Dinnie Stones The Dinnie Stones (also called Stanes or Steens) are a pair of Scottish lifting stones located in Potarch, Aberdeenshire. They were made famous by strongman Donald Dinnie, who reportedly carried the stones barehanded across the width of the Pot ...

carry (Rogue replicas) – & for (2024 Arnold Strongman Classic) * Odd Haugen tombstone to shoulder – × 5 reps in 2 minutes and 30 seconds (World Record) * Natural Stone Block press – (2024 Magnus Classic) (World Record) * Inver Stone press – (2020 and 2024 Arnold Strongman Classics) (Joint-World Record) *

(Rogue replica) – for (2023 Arnold Strongman Classic) (World Record) * Thor's Hammer one arm grip lift – 125 kg (275 lb) (2021 Rogue Invitational) (former joint-world record) * Conan's Wheel of Pain – 34.14 meters (112 feet) * Sled pull (Rogue bull pull) – for 15 meter course in 42.54 seconds (2023 Rogue Invitational) (World Record) * Firetruck pull – for 10 meter course 'in soil' in 17.91 seconds (2019 Arnold USA) (World Record) * Truck pull – for 30 meter course 'uphill' in 55.90 seconds (2019 World's Ultimate Strongman) (World Record) * Plane pull – for 30 meter course in 40.07 seconds (2017 World's Strongest Man) (World Record) * Bus pull – for 25 meter course in 35.95 seconds (2018 World's Strongest Man) (World Record)

Competitive record

Winning percentage:
Podium percentage:

Filmography

Television

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kieliszkowski, Mateusz 1993 births Living people Polish strength athletes 21st-century Polish sportsmen People from Słubice Sportspeople from Lubusz Voivodeship